True Colors
by Sirithiliel
Summary: Rating to be safe. Yami Bakura starts having dreams of his past, and starts to worry Ryou. Can Ryou help his yami as the memories start trending towards his final moments in Egypt? (complete)
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Yu Gi Oh.  
  
A/N: This is a first try at anime fan fiction, so please be kind. This is a non-yaoi Ryou and Yami Bakura story. In my story, the yami's and the hikari's share a single body, and Bakura doesn't often use physical abuse, but verbally abuses Ryou. I think you can tell who is who, but in case you don't, the yami is Bakura and the hikari is Ryou.  
  
// Bakura's thoughts //  
  
/ Ryou's thoughts /  
  
Chapter One  
  
Ryou stared out the window at the rain. Rain is wonderful, isn't it? Some think it is depressing, but not to Ryou. The rain is pure. It cleans. Ryou shook his head. It was funny. People thought rain depressing, and yet took comfort from fire. Fire burns. Fire destroys.  
  
Ryou's yami, Bakura, was sleeping in his soul room. Ryou was careful to keep his thoughts quiet, so as not to wake the dangerous spirit. Oh, Bakura didn't hit him, not a lot, anyways, but he did yell, and his ranting could bring up quite a headache.  
  
With a heavy sigh, Ryou stood and went to his bed. Lying down and curling up in an effort to get warm on this cold, winter night, Ryou pondered why his yami insisted on yelling at him and hurting him on occasion.  
  
At times, when Bakura's guard was down, Ryou could detect affection and gentle emotions, before the usual cruel mask went up and he became cold again. Why did his yami act hateful one moment and then, in those rare moments, be seen with a hint of gentle affection?  
  
With another sigh, Ryou fell asleep.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
That morning Ryou woke early. It was Saturday, but he always woke up early. Getting dressed, he started down stairs to make breakfast. His father is always away on business trips, and is rarely home twice in a single month.  
  
Ryou made a simple breakfast of toast and a glass of orange juice, before putting on his coat and boots to go outside for a walk.  
  
//Where are we going?//  
  
Ryou jumped. Bakura was quite good at surprising him.  
  
/We're going for a walk./  
  
Bakura muttered in his mind, and Ryou smiled slightly. He did love his yami, and he did desperately wanted to get along with him. At times they do get along and even sometimes have fun, but not often.  
  
Ryou was lucky to even get Bakura to have a pleasant conversation with anyone.  
  
Ryou watched as two familiar figures ran up to the park nearby. One had an unruly mop of blonde hair, the other with an odd tri-colored hair and was half the size of the first.  
  
Joey and Yugi. They seemed to be laughing as Tristan and Duke joined them. Ryou was friends with them, or so he liked to believe. They were nice to him, he ate lunch with them at school and sometimes other things, but Yugi had a millennium puzzle to match Ryou's millennium Ring. Bakura originated from the Ring, and Yugi had a yami because of the puzzle.  
  
As it ends up, the yami of the puzzle was an ancient pharaoh, and he and Bakura didn't get along very well.  
  
At the sight of the pharaoh's hikari, Bakura growled and in a sudden move, took over Ryou's body.  
  
/What are you doing?/ Ryou asked, slightly panicked. Bakura only switched places when he was up to mischief.  
  
Bakura knelt and quickly compacted a snowball, totally ignoring the cold. With a mischievous grin, he lobbed it towards the group. Almost immediately he switched back, leaving Ryou to stand there and rub his suddenly cold hand.  
  
"What? Hey! Who threw this?"  
  
Ryou glanced about nervously as Joey brushed the remains of the snowball from his hair. He turned in the direction it had come from, and only Ryou was standing there.  
  
"Ryou?" He asked. He didn't think someone quiet like Ryou would do something like this.  
  
"I didn't do it." Ryou blurted, eyes wide. He knew of Joey's past, of his reputation as a former gang member.  
  
In his head, Bakura snorted. //He won't do a thing. Stop being so weak. // As always, Bakura was getting onto his hikari for being weak. That seemed to be what always started their fights, or rather, what caused Bakura to get violent.  
  
But in his yami's confidence, Ryou tried to stop being so nervous as Joey glanced around to see who threw it. Deciding a quick getaway might be nice he turned to leave.  
  
"Ryou, wait!"  
  
Ryou reluctantly turned back to face Yugi waving him over. Not wanting to be rude, he walked over to them and managed a small, shaky smile.  
  
"'Ere now, Ryou. Did you see who threw that snowball at me?" Joey asked, still glancing around suspiciously. Tristan grinned, and nudged Duke. They crept sideways until they were behind Joey, and began packing their own snowballs.  
  
"No, I didn't. I must have been facing the other way." Ryou didn't want to worry about the anger Joey would feel towards his yami, and incidentally towards him as well.  
  
"Ah, well then......"  
  
Thwap! Thwap!  
  
"Hey! You two jokers! Get back 'ere!" Joey took off running after Tristan and Duke after they both threw their snowballs at him.  
  
Yugi smiled. "They make an amusing bunch, don't they?" Ryou nodded, trying to ignore his yami's mutterings about being close to the hikari of the pharaoh. "So, who did throw the snowball?" Yugi asked, glancing at Ryou with a knowing grin.  
  
"Bakura." Ryou said simply. He didn't mind saying it to Yugi, even though his yami was aiming his muttering at Ryou for telling.  
  
"Knew it. Didn't know he had a fun side to him." Yugi said, and Ryou barely contained a smile as Bakura's growl stepped up a notch.  
  
"He's not liking what your saying." Ryou stated.  
  
// You bet I'm not. And the fact your enjoying it will mean 'activities' later if you don't stop.//  
  
Ryou gulped and stopped grinning. "I need to go home." Ryou said softly. Yugi watched him, seeing the quiet reply for what it was.  
  
"Bakura's making you leave, huh?" Yugi said, just as softly. He didn't understand the spirit of the Ring. The soul of the ancient tomb robber was always a mystery. He kept everything under a cold mask.  
  
"Yeah, see you later Yugi." Ryou said, leaving the park.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Bakura didn't understand his hikari. How can he be so weak? He just stood there and was worried and nervous for something he didn't do, from one of his so-called 'friends'. How could he get so weak over that? If it had been a bully, what would Ryou have done?  
  
Although Bakura didn't like to say it, he did have feelings for his hikari, and wanted him to be able to stand up and defend himself, instead of cowering meekly and submissively. Bakura did get irritated and frustrated, and yelled, but he did have Ryou's best interests, or what he thought they were, in his mind.  
  
Bakura normally slept in his soul room while Ryou was at school, so didn't notice anything that happened. But he knew Ryou was being bullied and teased, and he wanted Ryou to put a stop to that. Bakura definitely wasn't going to do it if Ryou didn't help himself.  
  
With another inaudible mutter, Bakura retreated to his soul room and closed the door.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Ryou was close to nodding off. He was sitting in Yugi's house, with his friends laughing and talking around him. Yugi had called him and asked if he would like to come over, and he had agreed because he wanted to get out and do something on this Sunday morning.  
  
He watched as Joey and Tristan argue about if a certain move was legal or not.  
  
Ryou rolled his eyes. They knew it was a good move, Tristan just didn't want to get beat by it. Yugi was looking through his cards, glancing at Joey and Tristan every now and then.  
  
/ It's boring here./ Ryou thought to himself. He felt slightly ill, and wanted to go home and sleep.  
  
//Then why do you stay?//  
  
Ryou jumped. Again Bakura has managed to surprise him. Yugi looked over at Ryou's sudden movement, and Ryou gave him a small smile, pointing towards the Ring he wore around his neck. He had been fiddling with the chain while he watched his friends argue.  
  
Yugi smiled and nodded. He understood. The last thing Ryou needed was Yugi to get concerned and worried about him.  
  
/I stay because there is nothing else to do./ Ryou answered back. Bakura didn't talk to him a lot, at least not in a conversational voice.  
  
//So we have to watch these losers? Ra, even your tired of them, and we both know you are the most patient of the two of us. Plus, your not feeling well.// Bakura answered, abnormally calm and non-psychotic at the moment. To Ryou's surprise, he even sounded slightly concerned.  
  
Ryou blinked as his yami continued the conversation. Yugi watched his friend.  
  
"Is everything alright, Ryou?" The short boy asked his friend. Ryou was looking slightly shocked, blinking slowly as he was.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing. Bakura is extra talkative today." Ryou answered. He was actually wanting to see how much he and Bakura could talk about before his yami went silent or stormed into his soul room in those unexplained moments of anger.  
  
In his mind, Bakura snorted.  
  
//I'm only talking because there is nothing else to do. And my talking is not the only thing distracting you.// He said defensively as Ryou felt dizzy for a moment and the ache in his temples speeded up.  
  
/You could sleep./ Ryou answered back tentatively, afraid of what his yami might do to him for talking out of turn.  
  
//I'm tired of sleeping, and my soul room gets boring after a while.// Bakura did sound bored, and that was not a good thing.  
  
Ryou suddenly felt really dizzy, the world blurring around him for a moment. He wavered, but was determined not to show Yugi it. He felt his yami's approval at hiding his weakness, but he also felt, and this time Ryou was sure, he also felt concern.  
  
//I'm taking over.// Bakura said simply.  
  
Before Ryou could protest, Bakura merged and blinked as he was suddenly in control. With a smirk, he leaned back against the wall. He felt someone staring at him, and turned to look at Yugi. Yugi had noticed the change, and was watching him apprehensively.  
  
With a grin, Bakura turned to the two arguing friends before him. They had not noticed the change.  
  
""It is a good move, you foolish mortals." Bakura sneered. They looked up in surprise, just now noticing the change. Bakura was bored, so he would make up his own fun.  
  
Though Bakura's notion of 'fun' was different than the natural person's.  
  
"Go away, Bakura. Put Ryou back." Joey said, looking back at his cards and trying not to let the slight nervousness in his voice get through. Bakura smirked. The tenseness of Joey's shoulders was enough to tell the tomb robber how the foolish mortal felt.  
  
"No. Ryou isn't up to it at the moment." Bakura said, thinking that would explain everything.  
  
"What did you do to him?" The voice was deeper than Yugi's, though it bore some resemblance to it.  
  
Bakura looked over to where the midget's yami, the baka pharaoh, had appeared.  
  
"I did nothing. He is just not feeling well. As I feel nothing, the headache won't bother me." Bakura said, growling softly.  
  
He turned his eyes back to where Joey and Tristan were trying to continue their duel. He jerked as he felt a hand rest on his forehead. Twisting away from Yami's touch, he snarled.  
  
"Don't touch me!" He spat.  
  
Yami sat back down. He had wanted to test the tomb robber's words, and Bakura had been telling the truth. Ryou was sick; his body was feverish.  
  
The pharaoh gave Bakura an obscure look. "You are correct. Ryou is sick. You should probably go home and let him rest, so that he may recover."  
  
Bakura sneered at the pharaoh. He knew Ryou should rest, or he could get worse. Since they shared a body, it would affect Bakura too. He stood and stalked out of the room, turning on the sidewalk and heading towards their house.  
  
Ryou was not going to regain control until Bakura was sure they were home. Unlocking the door and entering the house, Bakura switched back with Ryou.  
  
Almost immediately Ryou staggered. The headache had gotten worse while Bakura was in control. Bakura snapped back and stood their body up.  
  
His host was seriously sick. He would probably have to stay home from school tomorrow.  
  
/I can't stay home. I have a big test that I will have trouble making up. / Even Ryou's thoughts sounded exhausted.  
  
//You are too sick. // Bakura said, not even bothering to argue, thinking that his word would be enough to keep Ryou home.  
  
/I've got too. /  
  
Bakura sighed. //I'll go then, since I can't feel anything. Not much anyways. / He said, as he could feel a dull pounding in his temples, not enough to worry about. He sensed his light's worry about it though.  
  
//Relax. I'll be alright.// Bakura said, frowning in annoyance.  
  
/Yami, you don't know the information./ Ryou protested. It was really nice of his yami to offer.  
  
Why was he offering? He didn't care.........did he?  
  
//You will be there giving me the answers, of course.// Bakura said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Ryou blinked. His yami DID care. That was a surprise, and a pleasant one as well.  
  
When no answer came, he spoke again.  
  
//Good, I am going to school as you tomorrow. Now what medicine do you need?//  
  
/There should be something in the bathroom cupboard. Be sure to make dinner too./  
  
//Dinner? What for? // Bakura asked, confused.  
  
/Mortals have to eat, Bakura. / Ryou said, a hint of amusement accompanies his thought.  
  
//Oh.//  
  
Bakura went to the bathroom, downed two pills out of a bottle that Ryou pointed out to him, then went into the kitchen.  
  
"What to make?" The tomb robber muttered to himself.  
  
/Try that soup in that cupboard./ Ryou said quietly.  
  
//Here?//  
  
/Yes. Put it in a pan and put that on the stove./ Ryou said, pointing out the instructions and telling his yami how to open the can.  
  
Soon they had the soup cooking, and Bakura was feeling more of the effects from Ryou's illness.  
  
Bakura took the soup off the stove and went to the table. He had never eaten in Ryou's body before, so it had been a while since he had tasted anything.  
  
/Turn the stove off, yami. We don't need a fire./ Ryou reminded Bakura, to the spirit's disappointment. He knew an unattended stove could cause a fire, but figuring as how his hikari is ill, he might as well humor him.  
  
Raising the spoon, he took the first mouthful.  
  
Eyes snapping open in remembered delight, he quickly downed the soup, enjoying the taste.  
  
Ryou smiled from where he watched from his soul room. His yami wasn't so bad, when he wasn't yelling or trying to kill someone. Hopefully he could remember and tell Bakura the answers for the history test tomorrow.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Bakura woke up as the alarm went off. Ryou was feeling better, but Bakura was not going to let him in control until he was completely cured.  
  
/Seriously, Yami, I'm all right. I'm fine. I can take care of it. / Ryou protested. He did feel better, but he still felt a bit queasy.  
  
//No, I'm going; you are not going to ruin my fun! // Bakura said harshly, trying to quell his light's continual pleasure in his concern.  
  
//And I am NOT worried about you. We share a body, if you are sick, then I am sick. // Bakura said. Ryou didn't believe him. Oh well, can't be helped.  
  
Bakura dressed, ate something when Ryou reminded him too, grabbed his light's backpack and went to school.  
  
"Ryou! Hey, Ryou!"  
  
Bakura turned to see Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Tea approaching. Great.  
  
Forcing himself into his 'hikari pose', Bakura smiled and waved slightly. They walked up and he joined them. To do anything else would have attracted suspension, and Ryou insisted on not having his friends find out. That was all right by Bakura.  
  
"Hey, Ryou. Feeling better?" Yugi asked as they walked beside each other. Bakura couldn't believe how unobservant these mortals were! There were some obvious differences between Ryou and Bakura when they were in control, and yet these kids didn't notice a thing! Maybe it was because they thought Bakura would never go to school.  
  
//Too true. // Bakura muttered to himself. He sensed Ryou's faint amusement at the whole situation.  
  
/Just don't kill my friends, please? / Ryou thought back. Bakura mentally snorted and continued talking to Yugi.  
  
"Yes, I am. Thank you for your concern." They reached the school, and Bakura immediately sought Ryou's help on where to go. He had always slept when Ryou went to school.  
  
/Follow Yugi. / Ryou giggled. / He's in all your classes. And I eat lunch with him, so you just have to follow him around school all day. / Ryou laughed as he sensed Bakura's mental look of disgust.  
  
//Very well. Know I would only do this because we share a body and you're less than worthless when you're sick. // Bakura snapped, though Ryou could sense the truth beneath the words.  
  
His yami was concerned about him. It made Ryou feel warm and satisfied inside. For the longest time he had been worried that his yami hated him when he yelled or occasionally hit him.  
  
Bakura snorted again at his light's thoughts, and followed Yugi into the room.  
  
//Where do I sit? //  
  
/Right there, beside Joey and behind Tristan. /  
  
Bakura took his seat, following instructions given to him by his light. Joey grinned across from him, and Bakura answered. Good thing the tomb robber was so good at putting up facades and lies, he didn't think he could pull this off if he couldn't.  
  
"Hey, Ryou, did you do something to your hair?" Joey asked. Imagine! The dimwitted one was the one who noticed something!  
  
"I slept a bit wrong on it, I guess." Bakura said glibly, and Joey shrugged. Then the class started. It was science. Bakura immediately began to zone out.  
  
/Yami, we need to pay attention. /  
  
Bakura jerked awake, and muttered to him self. Joey looked at him from where he was sitting.  
  
"Hey, you all right?" Joey whispered. Bakura nodded, and pointed slightly to his head.  
  
"Tell Bakura to be quiet so you can concentrate." Joey turned back to the teacher and began throwing paper at Tristan.  
  
//You hear that, 'Bakura'? You have to be quiet so I can concentrate. // Bakura was in a good mood. He could tell he would have a lot of fun with these losers, playing with their minds.  
  
Ryou was surprised at the mood Bakura was in. Sure, it was the prospect of causing confusion and trouble that made him like this, but it was surprising nonetheless.  
  
"Ryou, what is the word you would use when describing the process of water becoming gas?" The teacher asked him suddenly. (A/N: I had to use some sort of question.)  
  
//Ryou? Help me. //  
  
/Evaporation. /  
  
"Evaporation, ma'am." Bakura answered. The teacher nodded and moved on.  
  
The bell rang, and Bakura followed Yugi. The pharaoh's short light was talking with Tristan, and as the spirit watched them Joey caught his eye. The blonde was watching him carefully, with a closed, suspicious gaze. Quite unlike his normally goofy self.  
  
//I think your friend suspects me. //  
  
/Oh dear, I hope he doesn't decide to make an issue of it. /  
  
The next class was the one they had a test in.  
  
Bakura took his seat, this time behind Yugi and next to Kaiba. Bakura sighed as the test was passed out. Ryou immediately began giving answers, and Bakura filled them in as he was told.  
  
(A/N: I'm not going to write the test here, that'd be boring, wouldn't it?)  
  
When the test was over, it was lunch. (A/N: I have no idea on the schedule they have) Bakura took the food, and, after eyeing it with disgust, sat at a table with Yugi and the others, but a bit away from them.  
  
The others ignored him, intent on their own conversations.  
  
//Do they always do this? // Bakura asked curiously.  
  
/Do what? / Ryou was sounding sick again. The fever must be coming up once more.  
  
//Ignore you at lunch. //  
  
/Yes, unless I say something. / Ryou smiled slightly as he felt his yami's mental growl.  
  
Joey, to their surprise, came and sat across from him. Bakura raised an eyebrow at Joey, and the blonde grinned back shakily.  
  
"Why are you here, Bakura?"  
  
Bakura choked on the bite of food he had. Darn it! The blonde had figured it out. Hopefully he won't make and issue of it.  
  
"Do you need to know?" Bakura answered back, eyeing Joey in silent warning.  
  
"Yes. Where is Ryou? What's the matter with him?" Joey wasn't going to let go of the subject, even if Bakura was giving him the 'homicidal yami' look.  
  
"Ryou was still feeling a bit sick, but he wanted that history test taken. So he asked me to fill in for him, and he'll give me the answers." Bakura said, deciding it wasn't worth the trouble to lie.  
  
/Liar. I didn't ask you. You told me you were. / Ryou said, his voice a bit drowsy.  
  
//Shut up, you just be quiet and rest. Blondie over here doesn't need to know that. // Bakura spat in his mind.  
  
"So, it was you all day?" Joey asked, watching as Bakura curled his lip in disgust at the food.  
  
"Yes. This food can go to the Shadow Realm, for all I care!" Bakura hissed, shoving the plate away. Joey grabbed the plate and began downing the food.  
  
Bakura watched him for a moment, before he felt sick to his stomach and had to leave. As he stood up, Joey looked at him.  
  
"I won't mention this to Yugi. You're doing a nice thing, might as well not have it advertised, eh?" He said, before diving into the food again. Bakura blinked. That was gracious. He figured the blonde would go blabbing away to Yugi and that blasted Pharaoh.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Joey looked up in shock, staring at Bakura's back. The tomb robber had actually said 'thank you' to him? What a surprise!  
  
Oh well. This food wasn't going to eat itself.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Bakura hissed from between clenched teeth. How he hated having to be nice to somebody! Intent on his thoughts, he was surprised when a hand slammed inches in front of his face, hitting lockers and staying there, blocking his path.  
  
Looking up, he looked into the face of a tall kid, with his buddies ganging up around him.  
  
/Bakura! That's one of the guys who normally pick on me! / Ryou cried.  
  
Bakura growled. There were more kids in the hall, so he couldn't banish them to the shadow realm. But he could do something.  
  
"Well, little Ryou. What's the matter? Didn't feel up to lunch today?" The bully and his friends laughed, the other students in the hall carefully skirting the group, eyes down and walking quickly.  
  
"Please leave me alone." Bakura said softly, imitating his hikari. Some of the students in the hall looked up, stopping to watch. This had all the makings of a fight.  
  
"Leave you alone? Why? Are we bothering you?" He laughed again, and Bakura had to try hard to control the dark, seething rage that came naturally to him along with a quick temper and a short patience. Those were being put to the test right now.  
  
"Yes. Leave me alone, or I will have to fight you. I really don't want to do that." Bakura actually did want to fight, but his hikari's voice in his mind was pleading with him to try and control himself.  
  
"Alright then!" the kid yelled, before swinging his fist. Well, Bakura did give him a warning.  
  
The tomb robber ducked, allowing his opponent's fist to slam into the lockers. He then lashed out with his own attacks, taking out two of the kid's buddies.  
  
They growled and would have pressed the fight if Yugi hadn't come running around the corner yelling.  
  
"Leave him alone!" Yugi cried, trying to shove one of the kids aside. The bully looked down at the shorter kid trying to push him and laughed, shoving Yugi away.  
  
That kid soon got a knee to the stomach and when he doubled over, clutching his gut, he got a fist into his face. Bakura would have continued, but then Joey and Tristan and, worse, some teachers came running over.  
  
"What happened?" One of the teachers demanded.  
  
"Those bullies were going to fight Ryou, but he asked them not too, then warned them, then defended himself. It's not his fault!" A couple of kids who had stayed to watch since the confrontation began told the teacher.  
  
/Bakura? Can we go home? / Ryou's voice was low and very weak, causing Bakura to panic. He had used the body as if it were perfectly healthy, and yet it had sickened even more.  
  
"Ma'am, I am seriously not feeling well. Can I please go?" Bakura said, loosing some of his control so that Ryou's illness slipped through.  
  
He must have sounded bad, because the teacher all but shoved him out the door. He walked home, and when he got there he made sure to eat something, take those pills, and give Ryou control of their body so that he could sleep.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
So? Good? Bad? Continue? Quit? What should I do? Please don't flame me! 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Answers to reviews at bottom.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Ryou woke up the next morning and felt horrible. He definitely wasn't going to school today! He had nothing major this day either, so he wouldn't have to rely on Bakura going, though he DID do a good job yesterday.  
  
//Think a little quieter. I'm trying to sleep. // His yami's tired voice muttered over their mind link. Ryou got up, holding onto the wall for balance until he could be sure he could stand up without weaving. Going to the bathroom, he got the bottle of asprin (A/N: Needed some sort of pill.) and took two, went downstairs to get something to eat, called in sick for school, then went back to bed.  
  
His yami was still muttering in the background.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Bakura woke up in his soul room, stretching cat-like and yawning. He stood up, worried. He could sense the feelings of nausea and the pain of a headache. Ryou must be sicker than yesterday.  
  
Moving quietly, he left his soul room and went to his hikari's soul room. His light was asleep on his bed, shifting feverishly.  
  
Well, he must have called in sick. But that left Bakura with nothing to do. Well, Ryou wasn't using his body, was he?  
  
Taking control.........carefully, though, he didn't want to wake Ryou, Bakura went downstairs, put a blanket and pillow on the couch, and plopped down to watch TV. Ryou could rest as well, so it worked out.  
  
Bakura had lots of time to think as he flipped through channels.  
  
One thing to think on was the fact that he was worried for his light. And he was showing it! He didn't want to be thought of as weak. He had been yelling at Ryou for being weak, and he didn't want to seem as a hypocrite.  
  
Stopping on one channel, he watched it. Still thinking, he decided he would go easy on Ryou, not his usual harassing about emotional and physical strength, about the ability to control, control his emotions or his own life, etc. etc.  
  
Somewhere between all this, he fell asleep. Ryou's body was tired. So he was tired. He dropped off and didn't hear the doorbell.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Yugi had woken up late and was going to arrive tardy for class. He had a note from his grandfather, and was rushing to get to school to see if he could still make it on time. He stopped as he passed Ryou's house, though. One light was still on. Ryou must still be sick. Deciding to check in, he rang the doorbell.  
  
There was no answer, so Yugi tried the knob, and finding it unlocked, went inside.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
The TV was on, so Yugi went through the hall and into the living room. Ryou was curled up on the couch, the TV turned low.  
  
//That's not Ryou. It's Bakura. // Yami said, speaking through their link.  
  
/Really? Wonder why he is out instead of Ryou. How can you tell the difference? I can, but as he is right now, I can't. / Yugi said. Normally he looked for the differences in hair, the small change in height, and the definite sadistic gleam in his eyes.  
  
//He his the spirit of a millennium item as well. I can sense when it is him or Ryou. //  
  
/Oh. We better get to school, he seems alright at the moment. / Yugi turned and left, being sure to lock the door before he closed it. Didn't need anybody wandering in.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Ryou woke up, and found himself in his soul room instead of in his real room. Bakura must be in control. That might not be good. He could be up to something, and if Ryou wanted to get over this sickness, he had to rest.  
  
Carefully looking out through their shared mind, Ryou saw the TV.  
  
TV? Bakura was watching TV?  
  
Some random show was on, and something Bakura would definitely not watch.  
  
/Yami? /  
  
//.........//  
  
Bakura was asleep. That was the reason he was not answer and was watching a show with cuddly animals in it.  
  
Carefully, Ryou took control of their body. He found himself snuggled warmly in a thick blanket, curled around a pillow, stretching from one corner of the couch to the other.  
  
Ryou flipped through the channels, but nothing good was on. He sighed. He wanted to do something, but knew he must rest. Nothing was on TV, so what else? Read a book? He had read all the ones he owned already. Cook? Ryou liked to cook. But he was sick, so he probably shouldn't.  
  
A puzzle! He had a couple of jigsaw puzzles; those should amuse him for a period of time.  
  
Getting up and ignoring the sudden lightheadedness, he went to a closet and opened it, squinting into the dim interior at a shelf that held his games.  
  
Too bad Bakura was a spirit; they could do it together, though Bakura would probably refuse to do something that didn't involve even a little amount of pain or suffering.  
  
Maybe if he intrigued him.........Ryou reached for a certain puzzle that his father had given him for one of his birthdays. Taking it down, he went into the living room and began working on it. He spread a blanket on the ground and got another one to cover up with, resting his elbows on his pillow; he began the puzzle. (A/N: I do this at home a lot. Especially when I'm sick at home)  
  
He puzzled over the puzzle (A/N: *snickers *) and felt Bakura wake up in the background of his mind.  
  
//What are you doing now? Shouldn't you be resting?//  
  
/I am resting. And I am doing a puzzle./  
  
He felt Bakura watch with mild interest as Ryou struggled to match the pieces. He had a couple of segments done, but he had never been really fast at puzzles.  
  
A sudden, slight twisting feeling, and Bakura was in spirit form next to him. The spirit didn't normally separate, but when he did, he was content (as content as he could be) and that wasn't often.  
  
Crouching next to his hikari, the spirit watched.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Ryou fell asleep soon after, and Bakura took the chance to take control. Once in physical form, he began working on the puzzle. As a spirit, he had spotted several matches.  
  
He worked on the puzzle for hours as Ryou slept in his soul room. A knock on the door took his attention.  
  
Deciding he didn't want to answer, Bakura ignored the bell and continued working on the puzzle. The picture was becoming clearer and it was getting interesting. Gold and other treasures could be seen in it now, and Bakura had always liked shiny things. (A/N: He's a tomb robber, hey?)  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Bakura growled. It was the annoying pharaoh's light.  
  
"Bakura? Why are you doing a puzzle?" Yugi sounded surprise. Bakura glanced over his shoulder. Not only was Yugi there, but so was Joey, Tea and Tristan.  
  
"None of your business!" Bakura snapped. He was feeling the effects of Ryou's sickness now, but only the headache. The pounding was driving him insane, and he couldn't sleep because of it. Not wanting to let Ryou experience it, since for Ryou it would be worse, Bakura had stayed in control, working on the puzzle and watching TV.  
  
"Man, Bakura, you're snappy today. More so than other days, I mean." Joey said, and Bakura turned his glare onto the dimwitted boy, who cringed slightly.  
  
"Get out of this house. No one invited you! Leave us alone!" He hissed, eyes flashing.  
  
"Bakura, what's wrong?" Tea spoke up. She had looked past his harsh words to the slight pain underneath, and the fact that he sounded a bit stuffed up in the sinuses.  
  
"Nothing, you little wrench! Ra, just GO AWAY!" He snarled, standing up quickly. But that caused his head to pound and as he winced at the pain a coughing fit overtook him.  
  
Coughing until his eyes watered, he dropped to one knee in an effort to stay upright. He was aware of the others coming closer, talking, but he could hear them over the racking coughs.  
  
When the fit died down, he slumped in exhaustion, panting. Someone pressed a hand against his forehead, and he tried to brush it off.  
  
"He's got a fever."  
  
"Ryou has a fever. You feel Ryou's fever."  
  
"Well, whatever Ryou is feeling, it is affecting Bakura too."  
  
"We can't leave him here! If the illness is affecting Bakura this much, it must be worse when Ryou is in control! They can't take care of it themselves."  
  
"Hey, man! This is Bakura we're talkin' about! The 'Evil Spirit of the Ring', remember?"  
  
"Yeah, Joey, but Ryou is sick too. We can take him to grandpa's!"  
  
"Good idea Yugi!"  
  
Bakura's chest hurt from the coughing, and his headache was worse. Someone looped an arm around him and helped him stand, and he tried to shove them away.  
  
"Leave me alone." He muttered.  
  
/Yami, please, they are just trying to help./ Ryou's mental voice came over their link.  
  
/Please?/  
  
//Fine.// Bakura thought back, and ended up muttering it aloud as well. He allowed himself to be led away, and he heard someone talking to what seemed to be themselves. Oh, Yugi was on a cell phone.  
  
A car drove up, and Bakura was pushed inside. He had stood reluctantly, not wanting to get in. Tristan moved behind him and shoved him inside, earning himself a glare from the spirit.  
  
As they drove, Bakura closed his eyes and concentrated on the pounding in his head. Darn. He didn't get to finish the puzzle, and the picture of a golden hoard intrigued him.  
  
He fell asleep without even realizing it. The car stopped, and voices were heard. He woke up as someone was reaching for him, and without even thinking on it he swung out with a fist.  
  
"Ouch! That's a mean right hook he's got!"  
  
Joey. The baka fool was going to pick him up. Surging to his feet, weaving slightly, Bakura glared at the blonde who was holding the side of his jaw. Yugi was standing there, but he seemed older and taller. Yami. The stupid, baka pharaoh had come out of the puzzle to make sure he behaved.  
  
With a low growl, Bakura followed a laughing Tristan and a muttering Joey inside Yugi's house.  
  
"Grandpa!" Yugi was back in control. "Grandpa, a friend of mine is sick, and his father is away. Do you think he could stay here?" (A/N: Forgive me, I haven't seen enough episodes to know what Yugi's house looks like or how his grandfather is. Help people?)  
  
Yugi's grandfather appeared. "Of course." He said, smiling at Bakura. The tomb robber growled low in his throat.  
  
"He can have our guest room. Show him the way, Yugi, and I'll finish making dinner. There should be enough for all of us." Sugoroku said. Joey, Tristan, and Tea said goodbye and left for their own homes that night.  
  
Bakura settled in the bed in the guest room. Oh, how his head hurt. He thought he had closed his eyes for only a few minutes, but what seemed to be to him a few minutes later he heard voices and a nervous person shook him awake.  
  
"Bakura? Bakura, supper's ready and we didn't want you to go without eating." Yugi said hesitantly, backing away when Bakura's eyes snapped open to their familiar red-brown color. He sighed. He was feeling horrible.  
  
Feeling Ryou's thoughts, he relinquished control and allowed Ryou to regain his body.  
  
Yugi smiled when he saw the change, but the smile quickly faded. Ryou looked worse than Bakura. Helping Ryou up, he and the pale boy went downstairs for dinner.  
  
After that, in which Ryou tried to eat what was really a delicious meal, but didn't involve himself in any conversations because of his raw throat, Ryou went to bed.  
  
(A/N: This will be fluff, about as much fluff I am capable of at the moment.)  
  
Closing his eyes, Ryou went through his mind until he found his yami's soul room. Opening the door slightly, Ryou peeked into the dark room.  
  
/Bakura?/ He thought, looking at the dim shapes of all the treasure his yami had stolen and hoarded.  
  
//......mmwhat?...// came the answer.  
  
Going through the door, Ryou approached the bed that had heaps of treasure on either side. Truth be told, both hikari and yami had a obsession with pretty objects. Ryou just didn't hoard anything like his yami.  
  
Bakura lay slumped on his bed, one arm thrown over his eyes to block out what little light there was.  
  
Ryou winced as his head pounded even more and he saw a mirror flinch of pain from Bakura.  
  
/I'm sorry, yami./ Ryou 'said'. (A/N: They aren't in a 'real' place here, so they think their thoughts, so I put the little slash marks. Work with me, people! ~_~)  
  
//Sorry for what?// Came the tired question.  
  
/I'm sorry I got sick./  
  
//That's nothing to be sorry about.// Bakura's voice was remarkably gentle, though it was rimmed with the pain that Ryou was sharing with him.  
  
/I know, but I can't help but feel that it is my fault./ Ryou said, and his yami felt his feelings.  
  
//Mortals can't help it if they get sick. It is one of their weaknesses.// Bakura said, and Ryou looked up. It seemed that when his yami was sick he lost his tough exterior.  
  
/I'm sorry, yami./ Ryou said again, sitting on Bakura's soul bed. Actually, Bakura's soul room was kind of nice, being dark and unobtrusive.  
  
Bakura sat up. //There is NOTHING to be sorry about, hikari.// Bakura sighed, leaning against his hikari as another spasm of pain came up.  
  
/I love you, yami./ Ryou said suddenly, hugging the ancient spirit. Bakura froze in shock. He and Ryou have never hugged or touched in any affectionate way. (A/N: No slashy/yaoi thoughts now, people.)  
  
//Why?//  
  
Ryou separated from Bakura. His hopes had lifted when his yami didn't immediately push him away, but now they crashed back down.  
  
/Why? Why do I love you? You're my yami. You may be mean, sadistic, twisted, and all that, but you're my yami and I have to love you./ Ryou said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.  
  
//But.........I hurt you.// Bakura said. Ryou shook his head. He knew, but he still HAD to love and forgive his yami. Without Bakura he wouldn't be whole.  
  
/I still love you./ Ryou said.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
(A/N: That's as fluffy as I can go at the moment. ~_~)  
  
Yugi crept silently into the room he had given to Ryou/Bakura. One of the aforementioned people was asleep in the bed, curled around the pillow and breathing slowly.  
  
//It's the tomb robber.// Yugi heard the scorn in his yami's voice. Trusting in his yami's ability to detect shadow magic, and recognize the dark magic coming from Bakura, he walked over and gently prodded the sleeping spirit.  
  
A low growl came out of the huddle of blankets.  
  
"Come on, Bakura. Grandpa made breakfast." Yugi insisted, and was answered with another growl and finally brown-red eyes opened.  
  
"I'm up." He hissed, blinking in the bright light. Yugi winced. His voice sounded horrible, all raw and scratchy. It the blink of an eye, Yami came out.  
  
"Up, Tomb Robber." The ex-pharaoh commanded. "My hikari has asked you twice already."  
  
Bakura glared at the other spirit. He snuggled farther down into the blankets, burying his face in them. He was not up to arguing at the moment.  
  
"I'm not hungry." He muttered under his breath. Yami blinked. No argument? No scathing retort? Bakura must be really sick.  
  
"You have to eat something." Yami said, causing the tomb robber to glance at him out of one glazed eye in surprise. Now the pharaoh was being nice? Run to the storm shelters, everyone! Fire was going to rain from the heavens at any moment!  
  
Snorting at that mental thought, which caused Yami to raise an eyebrow at him, Bakura closed the eye he had open and dug his head back into the pillow.  
  
"No."  
  
"Ryou........." Yami began, and Bakura felt his light stir within his mind.  
  
/Please, yami. We need to eat something, and Yami is just trying to help./ Ryou began, sending feelings of reassurance through their link.  
  
Bakura gave what seemed to be half a sigh and half a growl. "Blast you, pharaoh. You had to get my hikari in this." Without another word, the tomb robber heaved himself to his feet. He was NOT going to let Ryou get in control. If what he was feeling would be worse for Ryou, he was not going to let his light deal with that.  
  
Stumbling after the pharaoh, Bakura muttered to himself at his weakness when it came to Ryou. Coughing slightly, he tried to walk straighter. He was a tomb robber, for crying out loud! He did not need anyone's assistance.  
  
"Bakura, I need to go to school. Grandpa will be at the game shop, so please don't cause any trouble while you're here?" Bakura blinked as Yugi stood before him. The pharaoh was standing just behind him in spirit form.  
  
(A/N: I think the yami's should be able to see each other, it's more fun that way. Anyone with an item can see another item's yami if said spirit is out. Hope that makes sense.)  
  
Bakura nodded numbly, and went into the kitchen as Yugi left with a quick good bye to his grandpa.  
  
Sugoroku was in there, cleaning up dishes. On the table was a plate of fried eggs, bacon, and some sort of biscuit. Bakura felt Ryou's wishes and gave up control willingly. Ryou may be hungry, but Bakura felt as if he would retch at the sight of the food.  
  
Ryou took control and began eating. Sugoroku watched. He had seen the transformation, but had been told by Yugi about the spirits of the millennium puzzle and ring, so was not too surprised.  
  
"Now, knowing your other half from what my grandson tells me, I say you should stay and he should stay wherever he stays when you are in control." The older man told Ryou, and got a nod in answer.  
  
//Baka mortal. I'll stay in here if I want too, and not because he prefers it!// Bakura snarled in Ryou's throbbing mind.  
  
/Quiet, yami. He means well./ Ryou said to his unpredictable darker side.  
  
//No! I will.........I like that.// Bakura's voice wandered as he stared at something through their shared eyes.  
  
/What? What do you like?/ Ryou asked hesitantly. Being a tomb robber, Bakura was attracted by pretty things, and such pretty things that Bakura fancied normally ended up in their possession somehow.  
  
//Right there, by that window.// Bakura said, aiming their eyes in said direction.  
  
/Oh./ Ryou stared at the object too.  
  
"What is the matter?" came Sugoroku asked, noting Ryou's intense staring.  
  
"What is that?" The voice was different from what Ryou's had been. His other half must have taken control while Ryou was staring.  
  
"What?" Sugoroku asked cautiously. From the tales from Yugi and the pharaoh yami his grandson had, the tomb robber spirit inhabiting Ryou's mind was slightly.........crazy, to put it nicely.  
  
"That.........shiny, pretty thing. By the window." Bakura said, staring at the object.  
  
Sugoroku blinked. Tomb Robber.........right. He turned to see what Bakura was staring at.  
  
"That? That is something I found in one of my evacuations in Egypt. A puzzle box that I had never figured out how to open. It........." Sugoroku blinked as Bakura stood and approached the box. It had a blue stone set into the engraved lid, with lighter colored blue stones on each side.  
  
The ancient spirit reached out, taking the box off the shelf it was on with other Egyptian items.  
  
Twisting it around in his hands, he suddenly grabbed a knife from the block they were inserted into (A/N: You've seen those big wooden things that the blades are stuck into?) He inserted the shining blade into a barely seen slot, twisted it and the lid popped off.  
  
Sugoroku blinked again. It had taken him years and years, and he had not been able to open the box. Yet this kid opened it in seconds. He was from that time era, though. That may be it.  
  
Opening the box, he glanced inside, before his eyes narrowed and he emptied the contents into his hand, having set the knife down.  
  
A silver scarab fell into his hand. He brought it up to eye level.  
  
"Pretty, but not very valuable." He muttered to himself, wincing when his voice came out scratchy and raw.  
  
"Maybe not valuable to you, but to me it would be." Sugoroku said, and before the spirit could say a thing he took the beetle and examined it.  
  
"Anyways, Yugi said I shouldn't leave you here, but I think I can. Can you put the other kid back?" Sugoroku asked, still examining the beetle.  
  
Ryou took back the body. There was no struggle, only a weak protest from Bakura. He was too tired to do anything at the moment.  
  
"Don't worry. I will stay in control and nothing will happen. I thank you for being so kind as to let us stay here." Ryou said, and Sugoroku nodded and smiled, before leaving.  
  
"There are movies under the TV, snacks and soup in the cupboard, and anything else you need you just give me a call, the number is by the phone which is in the hall by the door. There is some Advil in the bathroom, so enjoy your stay. Bye bye." He was gone.  
  
Ryou went and sat on the couch. Now what to do with the day that wouldn't involve his yami coming out?  
  
~*~*~*  
  
//CURSE YOU! CURSE YOU TO THE SHADOW REALM, BAKA HIKRAI!// Bakura roared into Ryou's mind. Ryou was feeling a lot better, but Bakura evidently wasn't. He was not happy with the fact that Ryou was refusing to let him take control of their shared body and would force him back every time he tried. He normally could have done it without or with Ryou's efforts to stop him, but he couldn't because he was weak from being sick.  
  
/Yami, please don't yell so loud. I'm trying to watch a movie./ Ryou said. Now that his yami was sick and weakened, Ryou wasn't as afraid of him. Yugi and his grandpa had better movies than Ryou did, though most of them Ryou normally wouldn't watch. But at the moment, he was watching one he thought his yami would like.  
  
//Baka movie. Baka pharaoh for making us come here. By Ra! What movie are you watching anyways?// Bakura looked out through their shared eyes, stopping in his ranting when he saw the mayhem going on.  
  
//What movie is this?// He asked again, this time softer.  
  
/The case said "The Mummy" (A/N: *snickers *) and it appears pretty good./ Ryou answered back, as the undead mummified priest on the movie sucked the life from another guy.  
  
//Fun.//  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Thanks to all reviewers!  
  
EZ: Glad you like it!  
  
Windshadowolf: ^_^ right back at you! Lol!  
  
Kayla: Kawaii means 'cute', right? Thanks for your review!  
  
Blkdrgn: Like the name. Thanks a lot!  
  
Inulover28: Thank you very much for your review, and I hope you like this chapter.  
  
Angelbird12241: Thank you very much. Hope this is soon enough for you?  
  
WinterBlaze: Felisha, my friend, thanks for your review!  
  
Legendary Bunny: Was that fluffy enough? I'm not really good at fluff.  
  
Jou: Thanks for your review!  
  
Anime Crazed: Thanks for your review! Glad you like!  
  
Charisma: Thank you.  
  
CaptianRubberDuck22: Lol, thanks a lot! 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.  
  
Thanks to all reviewed the other chapters! Review replies at the bottom! Oh, and this will not be all a sick Ryou, it goes farther than that. I will change the summary soon.  
  
/...../yami's thinking  
  
/...../ hikari's thinking  
  
"......" normal speech  
  
'......' normal thoughts  
  
(A/N:.....) author's note  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Yugi came home with apprehension. The house was still standing, thank whatever god was listening. He opened the door and went inside, and like when he went into Ryou's house yesterday the TV was on and the end of "The Mummy" was playing. Ryou was curled up on the couch, watching the movie.  
  
/Funny, I wouldn't of thought "The Mummy" would be a movie Ryou would watch./ Yugi thought to his yami.  
  
Yami separated from his other half, and when in his transparent spirit form he walked over too the couch.  
  
Ryou looked up at him and smiled. Yami smiled back slightly.  
  
"Bakura's asleep, so I would prefer not to involve myself in too much conversation otherwise he might wake up. Even though I'm feeling better, he evidently is not." Ryou said to the unspoken question in Yami's eyes about Bakura.  
  
"Oh." Yami said.  
  
"Did Bakura want to watch this?" Yugi asked as he leaned against the couch to watch the movie and do his homework. He handed Ryou the homework he had picked up for him.  
  
Ryou pulled a face. "Thanks a lot." He said, reluctantly opening the first book.  
  
"So how is it that you feel better but Bakura is not?" Yugi asked as he skimmed a page in his history book.  
  
"I don't know. He occupied my body long enough to get sick, but he's a spirit, how could he get sick?" Ryou turned to Yami, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"It is possible, but I don't know how." Yami said.  
  
/Fancy that, the pharaoh actually doesn't know something./  
  
Ryou jumped at the sudden sound of Bakura's voice. The other two looked at him curiously until his Ring glowed and Bakura appeared in his spirit form.  
  
He glared at Yami. "You do know that it is rude to talk about someone when they aren't around." He snarled, trying to cover the slight scratch in his voice and the pain in his head.  
  
"You were around. Just snoring."  
  
"You pompous, in-bred, high-to-do, baka, sorry excuse for a pharaoh!" Bakura roared. He hadn't had a good yell at anyone since he had been sick. It was high time to change that.  
  
"You yell at me?" Yami said, feigning surprise. This infuriated Bakura even more, and continued despite his light trying to stop him.  
  
He proceeded to roar Egyptian obscenities at the ex-pharaoh, and said pharaoh was amused at the tomb robber's lack of his normal aloofness and calm.  
  
"Bakura! That's enough! You........." Ryou began, but stopped as Bakura suddenly stopped in mid-rant because a coughing fit overtook him.  
  
As surprising as it was to have a see-through spirit coughing, Ryou became worried when the coughing didn't stop. Yugi and even Yami looked on in shock and maybe even some concern as Ryou tried to get his yami to stop coughing. Tears leaked from Bakura's eyes as he suffered the coughing spasm, doubled over and holding his chest in an effort to stop.  
  
He suddenly disappeared as he retreated to his soul room. Ryou's eyes widened.  
  
"He's still coughing. Oh, Bakura!" He sobbed, before coughing once or twice as his yami's sickness affected him slightly.  
  
"Let him take control!" Yugi ordered, running into the kitchen.  
  
Just as quickly as he disappeared, Bakura took control of Ryou's body and fell to his knees. Ryou had allowed him too, even begged him too.  
  
Yugi came running up with a glass of water, shoving it into the coughing tomb robber's hands.  
  
Without questioning, Bakura drank the water, and it eased the scratching in his throat. His coughing fit died down, and he separated from Ryou into spirit form again.  
  
Walking over to the couch. (A/N: Can the spirits sit down? Oh well, in my story they can.) Bakura dropped heavily onto it, resting his head on his arms.  
  
He heard Ryou and Yugi talk, with the baka pharaoh once in a while speaking up. Listening to them was boring, and the movie was over, so he fell asleep, vanishing into his soul room first.  
  
Ryou frowned. "So why do you think Bakura is still sick while I'm getting better?" He asked, with a fair amount of concern. (A/N: Here's your answer to your review, Anime Crazed.)  
  
"I think it might be because you can use medicine, which lessens the effects of the illness, but the medication doesn't help Bakura, so he still feels it." Yami replied, shrugging unworriedly.  
  
Ryou nodded slightly. "Makes sense." He muttered, before getting to work on his homework.  
  
Bakura woke up feeling much better. That means Ryou's body must be getting better. Good. Now he wouldn't have to stay in the baka pharaoh's house any longer.  
  
Peeking discreetly out of his hikari's eyes, the tomb robber saw his light speaking with the pharaoh's light as the two copied something off from a black board. Ryou must be at school.  
  
/Yami! You're awake and feeling better!/ Ryou squealed mentally. Bakura winced. He was reserved and not given to emotional outbursts, while Ryou was.  
  
/Yes, I'm awake, NOW BE QUIET!!/ Bakura roared back, causing Ryou to wince mentally and lower his eyes physically, but he was quiet. His yami was back to his bad tempered self.  
  
Yugi noticed Ryou's sudden quietness, and looked up curiously as he finished the last note.  
  
"Are you okay, Ryou?" He asked worriedly, hoping he was not getting sick again.  
  
"I'm fine." Ryou replied. "Bakura is awake." He whispered.  
  
Yugi raised an eyebrow and nodded.  
  
"He's back to normal." Ryou muttered softly. Yugi winced. They had gotten along so well when they were both sick, and now their old relationship had surged into motion again.  
  
Sighing, he began flipping through his book to start his assignment.

After school...(A/N: I don't understand, my star and wavey thing is not working, and my double slash isn't working. sorry if this is going to confuse everybody when the hikari's and yami's share the single slash for internal thoughts.)

/Baka mortal! You allowed those kids to copy off from you? WHY?/ Bakura snarled in Ryou's mind.  
  
/They're my friends, yami. Duke was just playing a joke. It's nothing too bad./ Ryou pleaded.  
  
/'NOTHING TOO BAD?' He knocked you down at lunch, into a pile of that refuse you call food, you were drenched in scum water from a nearby custodian bucket, and the entire CAFETERIA LAUGHED AT YOU! And it is NOTHING TOO BAD? He humiliated you! And you LET HIM! Baka, foolish mortal!/ Bakura ranted in Ryou's mind.  
  
True, Duke HAD done that.  
  
First he had 'accidentally' bumped into Ryou, knocking him into the kids behind him, which coated the pale boy with food. Then, when trying to stand up, he tripped on a custodian's bucket that had been 'coincidentally' set there earlier, which ended up with him covered in food and that dirty water. The entire student body had laughed.  
  
And now his yami was angry at how he had allowed that to happen.  
  
/Stupid fool./ Bakura hissed.  
  
/Yami, I am tired of this. I didn't want to make a scene by confronting Duke, and it was just a joke..../ Ryou began.  
  
/'Just a joke?'/ Bakura repeated. /That 'joke' made you look weak. Incredibly weak. How baka can you be to not notice what was going on until to late?/  
  
/Then why didn't you warn me if you realized it?/ Ryou snapped back.  
  
Bakura growled at Ryou's tone of voice.  
  
/I did./  
  
Ryou blinked. He did? That's right, he did say 'watch out' and tried to point out the obvious but Ryou had things on his mind. Homework, and the like, so he had ignored his yami.  
  
/And don't get that tone of voice with me./ Bakura threatened.  
  
/Oh, shut up./ Ryou snapped without thinking. Then froze as he realized what he had said.  
  
He heard Bakura growl, then his body was forcibly taken over by the spirit.  
  
Once in control, Bakura didn't hesitate. He ran and slammed his shoulder hard into the wall. He had done this before to Ryou. It was a way to hurt his hikari without damaging the body seriously.  
  
He continued slamming himself into the wall until he felt it was enough, then vanished back into his soul room and locked the door.  
  
Ryou gasped as the pain of his shoulder overwhelmed him suddenly. A large bruise was almost already beginning to form. Rubbing it slightly, hissing at the pain, he tried to contact his yami.  
  
No use. Bakura had sealed his end off.  
  
Shaking his head, Bakura went into the bathroom trying to find something to help. It had been awhile since Bakura had hurt him physically, and Ryou had hoped he had changed, but he evidently had not.  
  
Finding some assorted items that should help, Ryou began applying them to the large, ugly bruise that was forming around his shoulder.  
  
/Yami?/  
  
There was no answer. Bakura must really be mad at him. Why? Because he didn't stand up to Duke for the prank? Because he didn't notice the upcoming joke until it hit him? Because he ignored the tomb robber's warning? Ryou didn't know, and probably won't for a while.  
  
School the next day proved to be just as boring, even though people whispered behind their hands or smiled and laughed at Ryou as he walked down the halls.  
  
Bakura was speaking again, that was good, but he was in a bad temper and was saying and threatening stuff about the other students in Ryou's mind, distracting him.  
  
Ryou entered his class room and saw that Yugi, Tristan, Joey, and Duke were there earlier than normal. Kaiba was there, but that is no surprise. He is always there early, and always was reading a book or typing on his laptop, which he was doing at this moment. The steady click clicking of the keys went in the background as Ryou's friends called greetings to him, though the snickered as they did so.  
  
Bakura growled in Ryou's mind, but Ryou ignored him and smiled, wincing as his shoulder stung. Bakura had done a good job in reminding Ryou on how far he will go when angry.  
  
"You okay, Ryou?" Yugi asked worriedly. He had seen the wince. Ryou nodded, but the others noted how he gingerly held his left arm.  
  
"Lemme see." Joey said, grabbing Ryou and pushing his sleeve up. Joey, being a former gangster and living with an abusive (though the others pretend not to know) father, he was good with medical stuff.  
  
"Ouch, where did you get that?" Joey said, as he examined the large bruise. Ryou's friends crowded around, the smarter ones guessing correctly on who it was.  
  
"Think, Joey. Who would do this to Ryou when he is at home?" Tristan said; using the voice you would use for a child.  
  
"Um.........not him!" Joey's eyes widened in sudden realization and turned to Ryou, who nodded slightly.  
  
"Can't believe you didn't think of that right away, Joey." Duke said jokingly.  
  
"Can you be surprised?" A cold voice sneered. They all turned to see Kaiba watching with iced curiosity.  
  
"It's called THINKING, mutt. Ever heard of it?" Kaiba went on. He ignored Ryou and the obvious bruise, trying to bait Joey into a fight.  
  
Of course, Joey responded. "How many times must I tell you that I AM NOT A DOG?" Joey snarled, which caused Kaiba to smirk. That angered Joey more, and he would have continued his tirade, but the teacher walked in at that moment and Joey didn't need detention, so he stopped.  
  
They took their seats, and Ryou was not really paying attention as the teacher took roll call and began their lesson. His yami was getting blood thirsty, muttering and snarling something in Egyptian.  
  
The tomb robber was planning something, but what Ryou couldn't tell.  
  
Bakura, in a quick switch that Ryou couldn't prevent, took control, but continued to write notes on the piece of paper in front of him for appearances sake. Every one was intent on keeping up with the teacher's fast paced speed, and were writing notes furiously, so they didn't notice the sudden change in 'Ryou'. Bakura frowned. He really needed to figure out how to get his hair to lay flatter so that it wouldn't be so obvious to those who pay attention to details (and he glances at the pharaoh's light.)  
  
He wanted to get back at Duke for being so callous as to humiliate Ryou when Ryou was not yet confident enough to take care of himself.  
  
/I CAN take care of myself, yami./ Ryou retorted, but was ignored.  
  
So, the perfect plan was already in mind. Okay, it was forming in his mind as he went. Spotting something on the floor, he purposely dropped his pencil to give the excuse to lean over towards the floor.  
  
Perfect. Now the teacher was leaving the room. With the absence of authority, the kids began talking softly to each other.  
  
With a discreet glance for witnesses, Bakura snapped his wrist under his desk to send the object flying towards a certain CEO who was taking the notes on his laptop instead of on paper like the normal, common people. Bakura sneered the word 'common' in his thoughts.  
  
He had never liked Kaiba. Knowledge of how the rich CEO had been the High Priest 5000 years ago never sat well with the ancient tomb robber.  
  
"HEY! WHO THREW THIS?" Kaiba bellowed, trying to scrape the used gum off his laptop with a pencil. And not having much luck, Bakura noted with a mental grin. He sensed Ryou's horror.  
  
/Bakura! Why did you do that? He did nothing to us!/ Ryou cried, but got a very violent 'shut up' from Bakura.  
  
Kaiba looked around the room, and met only innocent faces, though Joey, Tristan, and Duke were grinning. Those three he glared at, suspecting them.  
  
The rest of the class went back to the business of talking and looking busy, darting glances towards the closed door, while Kaiba continued to eye the three who commonly pulled pranks.  
  
He heard someone clear their throat slightly. Turning his cold gaze over, he saw Ryou motioning slightly towards a certain blonde haired kid.  
  
Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Kaiba turned back to 'Ryou.' The silver haired boy tilted his head towards the two with Joey, and Kaiba remembered the prank that was pulled on him yesterday.  
  
With a snarl, Kaiba stood and began a fight with Joey.  
  
"WHAT? It wasn't me!" Joey protested, and Kaiba decided not to mention 'Ryou' telling him about it.  
  
Joey ran out of the room, as Kaiba looked ready to hit him, and Kaiba followed. Bakura stood. This was going so well. He left the room as well, telling Yugi he had to go to the restroom and if the shorter kid would please inform the teacher when she came back.  
  
Once out of sight of any room, Bakura went to the nearest fire alarm and pulled it.  
  
/YAMI!/ Ryou screeched in his head. If Bakura was caught, it would be Ryou dealing with the punishment.  
  
With the alarm going off, Bakura went into the nearest bathroom and hid until he couldn't hear kids moving through the halls towards the doors.  
  
In truth, Bakura wasn't doing this just because Ryou had been humiliated. He was doing it because he hadn't done anything fun in a while and wanted to cause a little mayhem. A little delicious chaos.  
  
Walking – actually, he was sauntering – through the hallways, he reached Ryou's class room and went inside. As he had expected, Kaiba had been chasing Joey when the fire alarm went off and had not been allowed to go in and retrieve his laptop.  
  
With a grin that wasn't all sane, Bakura began to mess with the laptop. He had seen Ryou get on a computer a couple of times, and had seen Kaiba work, so he knew the basics.  
  
Once he got the gist of it, Bakura began with his plan.  
  
If this worked, Kaiba will be very unhappy with a certain Dice Master.  
  
Oh, the fun that was being presented to the tomb robber!  
  
The entire student body waited outside until the teachers announced that it was a false alarm and probably a glitch in the system or some joker. The students headed inside.  
  
As Yugi and the rest of the class was moving towards the doors, 'Ryou' came running up.  
  
"Sorry, I was at the restrooms when the alarm went off, and couldn't find the class until now." He explained to the teacher in that cultured voice of his.  
  
The teacher (A/N: Remember, I'm horrible with names.) smiled. Ryou had always been a good kid and there was no reason to disbelieve him.  
  
(A/N: In case any of you are wondering as to why Yami is not sensing Bakura right now, it is because the yami's normally sleep during school, so Yami is not 'awake.' Does that make sense?)  
  
Once in the class room, routine took over once more.  
  
That is, until Kaiba found the message on his laptop.

(A/N: alright, since my stars and waves aren't working, I'll announce it. THE END OF THIS CHAPTER!)

Thanks to all reviewers!  
  
Anime Crazed: Not a stupid question at all! As I have explained farther up in this chapter, Ryou can use medication to dull the effects, so he feels better. Bakura can't do that, so he still feels all of it. Thanks for your review and I hope that makes sense!  
  
Windshadowolf: Thanks, glad you liked that.  
  
EZ: You liked the "puzzled over the puzzle?" thanks!  
  
Winter Blaze: Aww....thanks Felisha! Glad you liked that little bit!  
  
Inulover28: lol, sorry, but I didn't want to go too far and that was a good place to stop.  
  
CaptainRUbberDuck22: Thanks a lot! 


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.  
  
Thanks to all reviewed the other chapters! Review replies at the bottom! Oh, and this will not be all a sick Ryou, it goes farther than that. I will change the summary soon.  
  
..... yami's thinking  
  
/...../ hikari's thinking  
  
"......" normal speech  
  
'......' normal thoughts  
  
(A/N:.....) author's note  
  
Chapter Three  
  
A choked noise was heard at the back of the room, and all eyes turned to a certain CEO as he struggled to contain his rage.  
  
Across his screen, where his notes had earlier been, was a picture of a pair of dice and the message "SETO KAIBA IS GAY" across it.  
  
Ryou stared in horror. WHERE Yami Bakura had learned this was unknown to his light, but the only person who Kaiba could of thought about who did it was Duke, due to the dice on the screen.  
  
As well as the message and the dice, little fairies were skipping across the top and bottom of the screen, music notes coming off them. Each fairy had Kaiba's face.  
  
Kaiba gripped his desk, growling low in his throat. Everyone was looking at him, and he was looking at Duke.  
  
"What?" Duke moved behind Kaiba, along with a lot of the students from the class. The teacher tried to get everyone to sit down, but no one listened.  
  
"Hey! I swear it, Kaiba! I didn't do that! I was outside the entire time!" Duke protested as Kaiba stood.  
  
Ryou sensed Yami Bakura's cruel amusement as Kaiba approached Duke, who immediately backed off. The teacher tried to restore control, but she couldn't do much without offending Kaiba, even if he was a student. Finally she gave up and went to find the principal, trying to find someone with the authority to stop an impending fight.  
  
Though with the teacher gone, nothing was stopping Kaiba from doing anything to Duke.  
  
The proud, arrogant Dice Master took off running with Kaiba close behind. This was the second time today the rich CEO had to chase someone due to his laptop. Maybe he should consider watching it more closely.  
  
He really should watch this more closely. Yami Bakura said casually to Ryou as he stayed in control and strolled closer to the laptop.  
  
"Joey?" Yami Bakura called softly.  
  
"What is it, Ryou?" Joey asked, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. The sight of the proud Duke running from a very angry CEO was hilarious.  
  
"Doesn't this cord link the computers to all computers in the school?" Yami Bakura asked, using Ryou's soft, cultured voice. He had thought that is what it did, but it would be nice to make sure.  
  
"Yeah, it is the kind the teachers use when they need to send memos to the other teachers and......." Joey's eyes widened. Howling with laughter, he grabbed the plug and put it into the socket, then connected the other end to Kaiba's laptop.  
  
"What? What is it NOW?" Kaiba roared, running back into the room and shoving Joey aside. He stared at the screen.  
  
"DEVILIN! I'm GOING TO KILL YOU!" Kaiba howled, and tore back at the Dice Master, who had peeked back into the room.  
  
Along the screen, the message: "Message Sent" was displayed, showing the small icon of a computer and an arrow pointing to a hooked connection of computers.  
  
/YAMI! WHERE did you learn all this?/ Ryou cried, for indeed, the technology was advanced and in anybody's reasonable mind, Duke was the only other one with any skill in technology. He made the Dungeon Dice game, after all.  
  
It's easy when you get the hang of it. I have always been a fast learner. It is no harder than learning the set up of an elaborate trap, after all. Yami Bakura said easily as he silently watched the mayhem.  
  
(A/N: I know it is probably not likely, but I am enjoying myself.)  
  
Plus, he foolishly left it logged on, so all I had to do was find the picture of dice and fairies and his own picture and mesh them together. It is so nice to watch you play those games and those programs, that's where I got the idea. And it was an easy thing to get that blonde friend of yours to plug it in. Yami Bakura said easily.  
  
The bell rang, and Yami Bakura gave control to Ryou, having gotten back with Duke for the trick he pulled on Ryou. The Dice Master was now facing detention and Kaiba was getting a telling off, and would probably get detention as well, whether he was rich or not.  
  
Ryou felt horrible. His yami had caused trouble for Duke because of that innocent joke, and Kaiba just because Kaiba was the high priest 5000 years ago! With a sigh, Ryou went to his next class.  
  
Going through the rest of the day with his yami's insane laughter and derisive snickering the back of his mind did not improve Ryou's day, and by the time he got home he would have gladly fallen onto the couch and stay there in sullen silence.  
  
But, no, he had homework and a house to clean.  
  
Getting to work, he tried to ignore the mumblings of his yami.  
  
When he was finished with the chores and with homework, he collapsed on the couch like he had wanted too earlier and fell asleep, quite on accident.  
  
(Later that day.)  
  
"Ryou?"  
  
Someone shook him. Ryou muttered sleepily and rolled over.  
  
"Ryou!" The shaking resumed. Blinking slowly, Ryou opened his eyes.  
  
And stared into his Yugi's face.  
  
"Hello! I had called and you didn't answer, so I came over to see if anything was wrong." Yugi said easily, smiling as Ryou blushed a bit.  
  
"Sorry, I had homework and then I cleaned house. I guess I fell asleep. Did you need anything?" Ryou asked, standing up and stretching.  
  
"Yeah, Joey and Tristan are going to come over and we are going to the arcade. We wanted to know if you wanted to come too. We're having a sleep over afterwards!" Yugi asked hesitantly. Ryou had been sound asleep, and Yugi had at first doubted if he wanted to wake the other boy.  
  
"Oh, sure! That will be fun!" Ryou exclaimed. This would be what he needed to get his mind off his yami's sullen behavior.  
  
Fun? Oh yeah, fun.  
  
Ryou winced. His yami's voice fairly dripped with sarcasm.  
  
"Okay, we go now?" he asked, ignoring his yami.  
  
"Yeah! C'mon, let's go. They're waiting!" Yugi led the way out of Ryou's house.  
  
Ryou smiled. Homework was done, chores and house cleaning was done, and he had the rest of the day to hang out with his friends. Grabbing a bag and quickly shoving clothes into it, he followed Yugi.  
  
Oh, Ra. The rest of the day around those idiots? Yami Bakura groaned.  
  
Ryou sighed. His yami was being so difficult. With his head lowered, he followed Yugi.  
  
(Later that day again, at the Game Shop.)  
  
"We will have so much fun! Our yami's can hang out, hopefully they won't kill each other, and we will watch movies, and......." Yugi went on and on with the talking, and Yami Bakura soon zoned out, not listening.  
  
Separating to spirit form, Yami Bakura went and stood near the wall, watching as the two began playing a game on the TV. He allowed his mind to drift. He had hurt Ryou again. He had bruised his light when he had promised not to do so. Now Ryou was scared and worried about him.  
  
He didn't realize the sounds of the game had stopped until a voice spoke very close to him and someone shook his arm.  
  
"Tomb Robber!"  
  
Blinking, Yami Bakura looked up at the pharaoh, who was kneeling before him and shaking his arm. Yugi and Ryou were standing behind Yami, watching worriedly.  
  
What were they so worried about? Then Yami Bakura realized he was sitting on the floor instead of leaning against the wall, and he had completely zoned out and had not heard his light calling him, despite the fact that they were in the same room.  
  
Yami Bakura glared at the two lights, before turning and stalking into the kitchen. He couldn't touch anything, or do anything, but he didn't want to stay there and watch them stare at him.  
  
Yami followed the tomb robber into the kitchen. Yugi and Ryou glanced at each other, each hoping silently that their yami's would behave.  
  
(With the Yami's)  
  
"What are you doing?" Yami asked as Yami Bakura leaned on the kitchen counter and stared out the window above the sink.  
  
"Nothing of your business, pharaoh." Yami Bakura's voice was low, and Yami blinked and made sure he heard it right.  
  
"What is up with you?" He asked, softer than he normally would have when speaking with Yami Bakura.  
  
"Nothing, pharaoh." The other growled warningly.  
  
"Ryou is worried. Your behavior is making him nervous and concerned. I am even getting worried!" Yami said, then blinked when he realized what he had said.  
  
Yami Bakura turned to Yami.  
  
"What?" he asked, barely able to believe what he heard.  
  
"You need to stop this!" Yami said firmly.  
  
Yami Bakura snorted, and turned back to the window. They didn't care. Well.....maybe Ryou did, but Yugi and his yami could probably care less about him.  
  
After all, how many times did Yami try to send him to the Shadow Realm?  
  
"Nothing is the matter. I'm just thinking." Yami Bakura said, straightening and disappearing into the Ring. (End Chapter)  
  
Thanks to all reviewers!  
  
Blkdrgn: I'm glad that clears things up for you.  
  
Anime Crazed: Yeah, I love mayhem and chaos. Especially when Yami Bakura causes it! (Grins) I tried to be creative but still real, so I didn't do what I would have LIKED to do to Kaiba's laptop. g  
  
WinterBlaze: I'm glad your keeping up with my story, even when you told me yourself you don't' read Yu Gi Oh a lot.  
  
EZ: Thanks a lot!  
  
CaptainRUbberDuck22: Thanks!  
  
Windshadowolf: Thanks! 


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.  
  
;......... Yami's thinking  
  
/........./ Hikari's thinking  
  
"........." Normal speech  
  
'.........' Normal thoughts  
  
(A/N: .........) Author's Note  
  
Normal Writing: Common Time  
  
_Italic Writing_: Dream/memory.  
  
From now on, most of the story will be dream sequences. I will have parts with Ryou, but most of it will be the memories.  
  
Chapter Five  
  
Truth was, Ryou was worried about Yami Bakura. They had left Yugi's house and were at their own, and Yami Bakura was still quiet and not his usual self. It seemed, to Ryou, that he was getting depressed. But he was a spirit. What could depress him? That still brought problems to mind. What was going on?  
  
Poor Ryou walked into the deserted living room. Yami Bakura had vacated this world and gone into his soul room in the Millennium Ring.  
  
"Oh, Bakura. What is the matter with you?" Ryou asked to the empty air before him.  
  
With a sigh, Ryou settled onto the couch for a short nap.  
  
(Begin Dream/Memory)  
  
_Smoke. There was smoke. The young boy stood, still half asleep, glancing about in confusion.  
  
"Mother?" He called, blinking in the thick smoke. He stumbled outside their home, which was more like a shack that would fall at the slightest breeze.  
  
"Father?" He called. There was silence. He continued to walk towards the middle of the village. His house was on the edge of it.  
  
Screams were heard, still faint but growing louder. The smoke was thicker, and the boy could see fire licking the sides of many houses.  
_  
(A/N: I don't remember Yami Bakura's village name.)  
  
_People were running.........soldiers wearing the pharaoh's armor were chasing down the villagers, cutting them down. Slaughtering them.  
  
"Father!" The boy cried, seeing his father fighting with the other men of the village before him.  
  
The man looked over, seeing his son and hearing his cry.  
  
"Go! Get out of here!" He shouted back, then was delivered a harsh blow by the soldiers he was fighting.  
  
"Father!" the boy cried again.  
_  
Ryou watched. This was a strange dream. The boy was pale, with long silver hair. A little Yami Bakura, in Ryou's mind.  
  
"That's right."  
  
Ryou turned. Yami Bakura, the normal one, stood there. Watching the panicking little boy with no emotion visible on his face.  
  
"I remember this. The pharaoh wiped out my village, my family, to seal the Shadow Realm." Yami Bakura watched as his younger, dream self ran through the smoke, reaching his father's body.  
  
_"Father? Oh father, what did I do?" The young Bakura knelt by his father's side, tears running down his cheeks and wiping paths through his ash covered face.  
  
"You there!" A soldier came running up, a spear ready to be plunged into the young boy.  
  
Wide eyed, dream Bakura avoided the man, rolling aside in pure reflex and running as fast as he could.  
  
Stumbling through smoke and fire, tripping over dead bodies, avoiding the soldiers, the dream Bakura ran.  
  
Suddenly, he tripped, falling face first into a burning pile of wood. Crying out, he staggered back, wiping ash from his face.  
  
A sharp bit of wood had cut his right cheek, creating a scar shaped like a double crossed "T".  
_  
"I never did figure out how I got that." Yami Bakura said conversationally, following his dream self with a horror stricken Ryou in tow.  
  
_Continuing his stumbling escape, the dream Bakura made it past the soldiers and into the desert of Ancient Egypt. The moon was up, making the golden sand look a pale silver.  
  
Looking back at the remains of his burning village, the dream Bakura broke down and wept, tears of anger, hate, and pain coursing down his sooty face.  
_  
Ryou snapped awake, breathing hard at the dream/memory. That was horrible. To think his yami went through that! It made Ryou a bit more sympathetic to his normally angry yami.  
  
With a sigh, he settled down into a dreamless sleep.  
  
(In the morning.)  
  
Ryou was a bit preoccupied at school the next day, running through the dream again and again. It was confusing. The pharaoh had sent soldiers to slaughter the people of the village, to 'seal the Shadow Realm' as Yami Bakura had put it. And yet Yugi's yami seemed to be the ultimate good guy. It was perplexing.  
  
His yami seemed awfully quiet. Now at least Ryou knew why Yami Bakura had been so quiet and depressed lately. Why he lost focus with what was going on. He was remembering his past, and evidently Ryou was going to relive the tomb robber's past as well.  
  
Ryou did not like the sound of that.  
  
He went through the rest of the day with that on his mind, ignoring his friends' inquiries on if he was all right.  
  
(Later that night.)  
  
Ryou was afraid to sleep. Would he see another dream/memory of Yami Bakura's? The thought scared him. Sighing, he knew he couldn't stay awake forever. After all, his yami was there as well in the dreams.........  
  
_The sun was bright.  
  
Bright and hot.  
  
The younger Bakura staggered across the dunes, panting in the heat. His tunic and pants were soaked with sweat, caked with blood, and ragged at the ends. The wound on his cheek was covered in dried blood, as well as various other parts of his body that was covered in blood or burns.  
  
His sandals had worn out on the hot sand a while ago, leaving him to limp bare foot over the burning sand.  
  
He was delusional from thirst and exhaustion, sick and feverish from his wounds, and weak from starvation and the heat.  
  
If he didn't find help soon, he was going to die.  
_  
"Pathetic." Yami Bakura muttered, watching the scene with Ryou. Just like the night before.  
  
"Pathetic? Yami! You had escaped the slaughter of your......um, yeah. You survived this long! You call that pathetic?" Ryou exclaimed, wide eyed in shock and horror. His yami was being so emotionless and calm right now when he had every right to break down and cry. To howl at the sky in frustration and pain.  
  
"Yes." Was Yami Bakura's simple answer.  
  
_Stumbling on, the young boy saw what seemed to be a town.........no, a city, on the horizon.  
  
Probably an illusion brought on by his fevered mind, but it was worth a shot to check out.  
  
Trying to walk, despite exhaustion, starvation, and thirst, the young Bakura finally made it to the out skirts of the city before collapsing in the shade of a building.  
  
He lay there for Ra knows how long, but he was finally aware of voices after what seemed to be an hours worth of time.  
  
"Is he dead?"  
  
"No, he's still breathing."  
  
"He looks to be in bad shape, all bloody and thin."  
  
"Look at that hair........."  
  
"Well, come on. Let's take him in with us. We can see what he is doing out here and where he needs to be........."  
  
the young Bakura was aware of being picked up, before he blacked out all together.  
  
When he woke up, it was in a cool place with a nice breeze, and the sound of water falling nearby  
  
Thinking that this was comfortable and he would prefer not to wake up, he tried to lose himself into the darkness again.  
  
"You awake now?"  
  
The voice was low, gentle, but the young Bakura still felt a surge of anger. Who should be interrupting his sleep?  
  
Anger was so quick to flare up now, so quick to take offense and lash out.  
_  
Ryou thought it odd on how he could feel the emotions and feelings of the dream Bakura, but it did kind of make sense. His yami was connected to him though the Millennium Ring, so naturally Ryou would get the tidbits of emotion.  
  
_The young Bakura opened his eyes, glaring at the sight of a face hovering over his own.  
  
"Ah! You are awake. Good." The face retreated, and Bakura sat up. He was about ten years old, so he had a child's view on things.  
  
_(A/N: What age was he when this happened?)  
  
_He was in a nice room, with plush furnishings and nice, fancy pottery. A small waterfall rained down in a garden outside one of the elaborate windows. That was the noise.  
  
He was on deep crimson cushions. He was cleaned up, his wounds and burns bandaged, his fever taken care of. Indeed, so much generosity caused him to grow suspicious, and with that suspicion came the newfound and familiar wave of anger.  
  
Who said he needed their help?  
  
"Hello, I'm Hirotshu. I'm a trader and merchant and we found you on our way to the city." The man said, gesturing outside the window, and taking a seat beside Bakura.  
  
Ryou glanced at his yami, who was expressionless and watching silently.  
  
One thing to be said for Hirotshu, he was blunt and to the point. He seemed trustworthy, but even before the slaughtering of his village Bakura had been hard pressed to trust someone.  
  
"Bakura." He answered shortly.  
  
"Ah, well then, Bakura. What were you doing outside the city walls and in the condition you were? You've been out for two days while we took care of you." Hirotshu said.  
  
Two days?  
  
"My village was destroyed. I escaped and wandered around until I stumbled onto this place." Bakura answered curtly, not wanting to reveal more than that.  
  
"Ah. Then you have no place to stay?" At Bakura's nod, he smiled. "You can stay with me and my band! We have anything you could need, and, as you can see, we are very well off." Hirotshu smiled.  
  
"Why?" Bakura snarled. The man looked taken aback.  
  
"Why what?"  
  
"Why are you offering this? To me? A lone orphan" Bakura spat the last word "down on his luck?"  
  
"Human kindness, boy. You can help us out in return for our generosity." Hirotshu smiled again as Bakura thought it through and then nodded his head again, reluctantly.  
_  
"Fool." Yami Bakura muttered, as the hazy dream broke apart and dissipated.  
  
(Later.)  
  
Ryou snapped awake again, startled and breathing hard.  
  
Fool? What had his yami meant? Who was a fool? The merchant or his younger self?  
  
With a sigh, Ryou stood and began to dress, getting ready for school. After school he was going to go over to Yugi's for a little while.  
  
He probably should bring the subject of these memory/dreams up there.  
  
(End Chapter.)  
  
Thanks to all reviewers!  
  
CaptainRubberDuck22: Thanks a lot, I'm glad you are sticking with my story!  
  
Inulover28: Oh, thanks a lot! I'm glad you like my story!  
  
Tam: well....thanks.  
  
Queen-galux: I like stories with Ryou and Yami Bakura too! Glad you like this story!  
  
Hmm....seem to be losing people. Oh well, some at least is good enough! 


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

(.........) Yami's thinking

/........./ Hikari's thinking

"........." Normal speech

'.........' Normal thoughts

(A/N: .........) Author's Note

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

From now on, most of the story will be dream sequences. I will have parts with Ryou, but most of it will be the memories.

Chapter Six

Ryou spent his time in school thinking hard on how to raise the subject to Yugi. He really needed help with this, he was over his head in Yami Bakura's memories. He had to tell someone.

School passed slowly, with Ryou barely paying attention. When it let out, he walked with his friends to the Kame shop.

He was once again thinking on the dream memories he had been having, when someone shouted in his ear.

"RYOU!"

"Huh? What?" Ryou jumped, spinning towards Joey, who had shouted at him.

"About time you listened." Joey answered in reply.

"Jeez, did you have to yell?" Ryou muttered, wincing at the ringing in his ears.

"Well, if you didn't listen the first three times, that was the only thing I could think of." Joey said, slightly apologetic. Three times? Ryou must have been deeper in his thoughts than he realized.

"I was just thinking. What did you want?" Ryou glanced at his friends. Yugi, Tristan and Joey were standing there, watching him with varying degrees of concern.

"I had asked what your problem is. You've been spaced out and more quiet than usual all day." Yugi said, moving closer to his friend.

"Is it Bakura?" Yugi pressed.

- - - - - - -

_Running through the sand, avoiding those who chased him. _

_Bakura looked back, ducking into his secret hideout as the guards ran past. _

_The traders he lived with will never know what he did at night._

- - - - - -

"Ryou!"

"Huh? Oh, right. Well.......it does have something to do with Bakura." Ryou muttered, flushing with embarrassment at spacing out again.

"What is he doing?" Yugi's voice was deeper, showing that Yami had come out to see what Ryou was going to say.

"Nothing bad. No, nothing. But...........can we talk once we reach your house?" Ryou pleaded. He didn't want to confess this standing on the streets.

"Okay." Yami said, but the look in his eyes showed that Ryou was not going to evade any of his questions once there.

They walked in silence, Ryou trying to stop the rush of memories that were now flooding forth, and the others watching his struggle with confusion and worry.

- - - - - - -

_Running again, this time through the market place. _

_He had just pick pocketed a high noble, and the man was mad._

_If the traders found out he was stealing, they'd turn him in to the Pharaoh._

_He better not let them find out._

- - - - - - -

Ryou blinked away the last fading bits of the memory as he reached the Kame shop. They went inside and they sat down.

"Okay, Ryou. What is going on?" Yami demanded. If that Tomb Robber was causing trouble for Ryou again............

"Dreams." Ryou said, deciding to get right to the point.

"Dreams?" Joey repeated, confused.

"What do you mean, Ryou?" Yami asked, eyeing the white haired hikari intensely.

"Well....ah, it started a few nights ago. I've been getting dreams about Bakura's past, and it has been.......distracting." Ryou said, staring at the table for such a weak excuse.

"That's all?" Yami asked, quite surprised.

"Well, his memories are not the best!" Ryou snapped, glaring at Yami, who looked even more surprised.

Ryou sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Sorry, Yami. But his dreams have shaken me, and he has gotten a bit quieter. I would say depressed." Ryou whispered. All at the table could hear his concern for the evil spirit, and could tell that he loved Yami Bakura like a brother.

Ryou closed his eyes and stood, leaving the Kame shop. He had given them his reasons, which was all he could do.

But now he had homework to do, so he must do it.

- - - - - -

_Bakura smiled. _

_The guards had finally figured out where he lived, and had confronted the traders. _

_He was lucky that Heklatis, a close friend of his, had been the only one there at the moment. _

_It was also lucky that Heklatis preferred his own sex over women, and all the guards were men. _

_Heklatis would do almost anything for Bakura, who he had taken to loving as a son, (instead of a lover.)_

_That was much to Bakura's relief, too. He had no wish to be that intimate with anyone, man or woman. _

_The guards questioned Heklatis harshly, while Bakura hid. The trader took it in stride, smiling and nodding. He was not a bad looking man, and could use that to his effect._

_So Heklatis behaved in a feminine manner so much that the looks of extreme comfort and disdain on the guard's faces were very obvious. _

_Bakura was hard pressed to stifle his giggles._

_Heklatis flounced about, saying all that he would that Bakura was not here, and that the traders had run him off days earlier. _

_Heklatis dropped not-so-subtle hints about his preferences and he flirted with them outrageously. _

_Finally, they could take it no more and fled the area at a fast walk, sweating and disgusted. _

_Once they were gone, Bakura laughed. _

_Heklatis smiled at him, and his grin set Bakura off again. _

"_Oh – Dear Gods! Did – you – see their – faces?" Bakura howled, tears running down his face. _

Ryou, standing invisible to them in the background, blinked at the sight of his normally fierce yami howling with laughter at the antics of the trader.

"_As if I would touch any of them!" Heklatis said cheerfully._

_Bakura just laughed there in the sand._

- - - - - -

Ryou awoke in the morning, relieved that the dream had not been too bad. It was actually quite amusing.

He went to school in a better mood, with Yami Bakura unspeaking and sullen in his soul room.

Ryou enjoyed school that day, and his friends noticed the change. They were a bit cautious about him, thinking he was still nervy like the other day, but they relaxed around lunch.

"I take it you're doing better today, Ryou?" Joey asked, stuffing a whole slice of pizza into his mouth.

Ryou ignored the fact that he was chewing noisily with his mouth open and nodded.

"Nothing too bad last night." He said, and grinned. "Actually, pretty funny."

"Funny? Funny and Yami Bakura don't go together, Ryou." Tea said, curling her lip in disdain at Joey before throwing a napkin at him as he continued on his pizza.

"Well, it was. To me." Ryou said, frowning at her.

Yami Bakura said nothing during this exchange, which Ryou felt odd.

He was worried. Bakura was not this quiet for a reason.

For some reason, the words 'the calm before the storm' came to mind.

- - - - - - -

Yami Bakura swiftly took control of Ryou's body after school.

He pretended to be Ryou until he was away from them, and then reverted to his own self.

He entered the house and, without turning on the lights, collapsed on the couch to think.

So much was going on. Not only was he getting his memories back, he was helpless to stop them from appearing to Ryou in his dreams. His memories were sending him into a depression, for things he had so longed to forget were being remembered.

/Yami?/

Ryou's voice came timidly over their mind link.

(Why do you keep me, Ryou?) Yami Bakura thought back.

Ryou was startled by this sudden question, completely unexpected.

/What?/ Ryou said. If Ryou wanted to get rid of Yami Bakura, he wouldn't be able too. Before Battle City it was because Yami Bakura would come back, and force Ryou to take the Ring. Now? Now........now it was love. Ryou loved Bakura like the brother he had never had.

Yami Bakura heard those thoughts.

(If you get rid of the Ring, I will not return. I will not force you to take it.) the Tomb Robber thought back, sincere in his words.

/Yami.........why do you say this? No. Even if you promised not to come back, I would not get rid of the Ring./ Ryou whispered across their bond.

There was silence, then.....................

(No Good without Evil. No Love without Hate. No Innocence without Lust. I am Darkness.)

(A/n: I do not own that quote from the movie Legend.)

/Yami?/ Ryou whispered, frightened. There was no answer.

Yami Bakura released his control on Ryou's body, and locked himself into his soul room.

- - - - - - - - -

_Anger. Pure rage. _

_The traders had found him out. Heklatis had tried to defend him, but was now humiliated and chased off as well. _

_He ran. _

_They chased. _

_But they did not know the desert like he did. _

- - - - - - - - -

Ryou snapped awake. That was not good. The image of a small Bakura running across the sands with a group of angry men waving swords and knives at him terrified the boy.

Unable and not wanting to go back to sleep, Ryou went and started watching TV.

Without realizing it, he dropped off after twenty minutes.

- - - - - - - -

_Hunger. _

_Bakura was hungry. _

_There was food before him. In the stalls of the market place. In the homes around him. _

_He could risk getting caught to get some. _

_Or he could starve._

_Steal. He would go and take some of that fresh bread from the bakery that was so appetizingly set out in front of him._

_He began to move, heading forwards. _

_But a hand grabbed him and hauled him into the shadows. _

_Bakura snapped around, and came face to face with – _

"Malik!" Ryou whispered.

The older Bakura, the one Ryou was so familiar with, walked up beside him from wherever he had been.

"Yes, Malik. Known back then as Mariku." Bakura whispered.

"_Let go of me!" Bakura hissed, trying to twist away. _

_The boy who held him was the same age, but looked more like a proper Egyptian. _

"_No. It would be a sure death for you to steal from around here. Guards crawl around every where." The sandy haired boy said, not relenting or releasing his grip. _

_Bakura sighed. "But I need food." He whispered. _

_He started in surprise as a chunk of cheese was shoved into his hands, as well as a skin of water. _

_The boy sat back. "Eat, drink. Then I shall take you to my father. He is a Tomb Keeper, and we can house and shelter you." _

_Bakura devoured the cheese and drained the water skin. _

_As the boy stood to lead the way to his father's dwelling, Bakura grabbed a hold of his wrist. _

"_What is your name?" He asked, not wanting to go and not know who he owed this generous offer too. _

_Tomb Keepers were valued by the Pharaoh, to guard and keep the secrets of all the Tombs. They were wealthy, and to take in an orphan like him showed trust and generosity. _

"_I'm Mariku."_

- - - - - - - - - - -

The next day Ryou spent a lot of time watching Malik. To think he had been in Ancient Egypt when Bakura was, and that they had met and become friends like they did now.

Who said we were friends? Yami Bakura's voice whispered to him. It was the first time the Tomb Robber had talked to him since the dream last night.

/Well.....I, uh, I just assumed you were, since you seemed grateful and he was nice and kind and everything........./ Ryou gulped, hoping Bakura was not too mad.

Hmmm. Yami Bakura mused, and went silent.

"What are you looking at?" Malik's irritated voice cut through Ryou's thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Malik. Just thinking." Ryou whispered, not looking at Malik. The Egyptian and Yami Bakura might be friends, but Ryou did not know how he was thought of by Malik.

"Ryou? What is the matter?" Malik asked, tilting his head slightly.

/He looks like Marik when he does that./ Ryou thought, and heard Yami Bakura's whispered agreement.

Ryou was deciding if he should tell Malik about the dreams.

Yami Bakura snorted in disbelief. (You did not hesitate to tell your friends, so why do you hesitate to tell mine?)

Ryou gulped and whispered and apology across their mind link. Yami Bakura was right.

So he told Malik everything, including the dream he had last night.

Malik just sat and listened, not saying anything until it was over.

"I knew my ancestors lived back then. The tradition of being a Tomb Keeper has gone on for about that long." Malik's face reflected brief pain, and Ryou remembered how his father had tattooed his back with the Pharaoh's Secret when he was young. "But I didn't know I resembled that ancient ancestor enough that you would recognize him as me."

Ryou nodded, and grinned shyly at Malik. He actually wasn't that bad, considering what he had done with his Millennium Item.

Malik grinned broadly back, and it seemed that the two could become just as good of friends as Yami Bakura was with him.

- - - - - - - -

Goth-girl: Lol, I thought it was fun.

Dinah: Thank you for telling me the village's name! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Anime Crazed: I don't think he can help but show Ryou. I don't know, I didn't think that far. Huh, interesting. Thanks for your review!

Tamashiipurizuma: Thanks a lot for your review!

Invader Kas: Thanks for all of your reviews! I know Kaiba was a little out of character by all the running and shouting, but I thought it would make it a bit more humorous to change him like that.


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

(.........) Yami's thinking

/........./ Hikari's thinking

"........." Normal speech

'.........' Normal thoughts

(A/N: .........) Author's Note

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

Chapter Seven

_Mariku led Bakura to his house, which was a great big manor with servants working out front._

_Bakura was led inside and brought before Mariku's father. His presence (and grubbiness) was explained, and with a bit of reluctance, he was allowed to stay. _

_Grinning at his new friend, Mariku hauled Bakura to the bathing rooms, got him cleaned up with new clothes, and showed him to one of the unused rooms. _

"_I'm glad my father allowed you to stay. Oh, you'll probably be having lessons with me too. Father wouldn't want you to be unlearned." Mariku babbled cheerfully. _

_Bakura eyed his 'new friend'. Mariku did have a charming personality and all, but lessons? Sighing, thinking he had no help for it, Bakura agreed. Who knows? It could be of use later on, when he was a master thief._

_But he would leave Mariku and his family alone. They were being kind and generous, which is something someone as abnormal and poor like him wouldn't expect from nobles. The fact that they took in an orphaned, dirty, and probably thieving kid proved that. _

"_So, what do you want to do? I can show you around the house.........the grounds.........and then we can go to the market place! So, Bakura, what do you want? Does that sound good?" Mariku was anxious to get to know his friend. _

Ryou woke up with a start as his alarm clock rang. Well......that had been interesting. He could still see the grand house with the slaves in better clothes than a commoner. That would be a nice place to live. And to think Malik lived there in his past life! Not that he would remember any of it..........

Ryou sighed and went to get ready for school, taking a shower and eating a quick breakfast. His yami was still asleep in his soul room, and Ryou could 'feel' him tossing and turning fitfully. At least at school Ryou would have something to distract him and focus on so that he wouldn't have to witness anymore of Bakura's memories.

Walking to school, he was glad that it was a nice day. If it had been raining it would have been the one thing to complete a bad day. Bakura was getting hard to ignore.

Wait.......it would be one of the things that would complete a bad day.

The other thing stood before him, cracking their knuckles and grinning.

Vetch and his group of bullies, preparing to pick on him again. Yesterday he got off because Joey and Tristan were with him, but the white haired boy was alone today.

"Hey, there, wussy. Time for another 'lesson' in respect." Vetch grinned, and Ryou gulped. His yami was no help on these type of things, lately. He was too distracted by his memories to be of any help.

But his feelings of panic and fear must have been strong, or the memories were not too bad, for he felt Bakura stir in the back of his mind and take stock of the situation.

Then white hot rage poured across their bond and Yami Bakura took control. He was careful to keep Ryou's look, though.

"Well? Let's get started then." Vetch growled when he got no answer. He and his cronies advanced, reaching for 'Ryou'.

"No."

They halted as if they ran into a invisible wall.

"What? I think I misheard you." Vetch growled, cracking his knuckles again. No one, NO ONE defied them.

"Sorry, I should have figured you wouldn't be able to understand a simple word. I said no." Yami Bakura stated, as calmly as ever. Or as much as he could be. Below the surface, in his eyes, there simmered a rage so potent that Ryou knew that if he didn't stop him soon, all seven of the bullies would be in the Shadow Realm soon.

/Yami! Yami, stop this! Please!/ Ryou pleaded. As much as he would've liked the bullies to leave him alone, he couldn't let Bakura kill again. Not after all that from Battle City......

(Quiet Ryou.) Yami Bakura hissed across their link.

/Yami! Please don't hurt them permanently! Don't kill them!/ Ryou insisted.

There was a moment of silence.......then...........

(Fine.)

Vetch swung a harsh right hook at Bakura, thinking to hit him now for his defiance.

Yami Bakura ducked, lunged, and swung a fist all in one smooth move. It hit Vetch square in the face, and the kid staggered back.

One of his buddies leapt forwards to take on the enraged yami, and Bakura knelt, spun an extended leg, and knocked the bully's legs out from beneath him. He stood, elbowed the kid running at him from behind, and whirled to block another punch from Vetch.

It had been a while since Yami Bakura had been in a good fight.

He laughed maniacally as he kneed Vetch and left him gasping for breath.

Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around his waist and another around his chest, restricting his arms and effectively pinning him.

"This'll teach you." Vetch growled, wiping blood from his chin. He swung back and punched Bakura cross the face, snapping his head back. Bakura struggled wildly in his captor's grip.

"Oy! Yami B.! We'll help ya, hold on!"

Vetch whirled around and saw Tristan and Joey running from across the street. He growled and motioned for the kid that was holding onto Bakura to keep him constrained.

"We'll take these two, you keep him down! He still has to learn his lesson!" and Vetch went at Joey and Tristan with flying fists.

As they fought, Yami Bakura used his Ring to send a rather painful shock through the kid that held him.

With a cry, the bully released the spirit and jumped around, waving his arms rather comically.

Yami Bakura staggered a bit at the sudden release, and Vetch turned and delivered a powerful punch to the side of his head, sending him sprawling and dazed.

"We're not through with you yet!" he snarled.

Climbing to his feet, another bully was reeling from a hit delivered by Tristan and ran into Yami Bakura. He stumbled again, feeling the rough texture of the road beneath him instead of the sidewalk.

/Bakura! Look out!/ Ryou screamed.

"Yami B.! LOOK OUT!" Joey shouted at the same time, pointing down the road.

The road that Bakura was standing on.

With a car coming right at him, its horn screaming.

In sudden desperation, all his thoughts on Ryou, Yami Bakura sealed Ryou into his soul room and hoped that would shield him from any pain that their body would feel.

The car was too close to dodge.

But he'd try anyways.

Yami Bakura threw himself to the side, but the car hit him with a sickening thud that sent winces through all present.

Yami Bakura lay on the ground, and then the Ra-cursed rain started. Joey and Tristan were kneeling over him, the bullies running off. His vision blacked around the edges, and then covered everything.

White walls.

Yami Bakura blinked, the room coming into focus.

He hurt, a lot. An incessant beeping grated on his nerves, that is what had woken him up.

Growling with the effort, he sat up and looked around.

He was in a hospital room, that much he knew. He remembered dimly that he had been in a fight, and Joey and Tristan had come to help, then something had hit him and he now woke up here.

/You were hit by a car, yami./ Ryou's voice said softly over their link.

(Oh.) that would explain why he hurt so much. (Told you those things were demons.) Yami Bakura said, trying to lighten up Ryou, for his hikari sounded a bit depressed.

Ryou gave the impression of a tentative smile over their bond, when the door to Yami Bakura's room opened and he was distracted.

"Ah, your awake. Good. You have visitors, Mister Bakura." The doctor said as he walked in. He checked Bakura's pulse and nodded with satisfaction.

"Truly you are a marvel. You were blindsided by a car and yet are healing nicely with nothing serious to stop you from leaving soon. You're lucky." The doctor walked to the door.

"Do you want to see your visitors? Are you up to it?"

"Yeah, sure." Yami Bakura said, startled at how weak his physical voice was.

/Do you want me to take over?/ Ryou asked, but Yami Bakura shook his head mentally and physically.

(No, you don't need to be in this position. The beating from the bullies and the wounds from that demon car are too much for you to handle.) Bakura answered.

/I'm not as weak as everyone thinks./ Ryou protested.

(I know. But if I can barely handle this, I'm sure YOU couldn't.) Bakura pointed out, and Ryou fell silent. He hadn't known it was that bad.

/I'm sorry, yami./ he whispered. Yami Bakura blinked, confused.

(Sorry for what? It was my own stupid fault for letting them get me in that position, not yours.)

/I still feel bad......../ Ryou began, but then his friends came walking into the room.

"So, Yami B. You get in a fight with punks, get hit by a car, what do you plan to do now?" Joey said, curving his hand as if he held an invisible microphone and trying to sound like a TV producer.

Tristan elbowed him as Yugi, (or rather Yami, since the Pharaoh was in control), walked forwards a bit hesitantly.

"Bakura?" He asked softly, and the Ring Spirit, though hurt and a bit dazed, still had his attitude.

"Yes, Pharaoh?" He asked snidely.

"Bakura, I think it was a noble thing you did, defending Ryou from the bullies and taking the blow from the car for him." Yami said, though it was obvious he was a little reluctant to say it.

"Actually being decent? Wow, that's a first." Bakura remarked. "Never thought I see you being humble, Pharaoh."

"It has happened a time or two, but not often." Yami answered back, smiling slightly at the usual verbal exchange between the two.

"How is Ryou?" Tristan asked.

"Fine. A bit confused, since I locked him in the Ring when I saw the demon contraption coming at me, but fine." Yami Bakura answered. The doctor poked his head in.

"Excuse me, but Mister Bakura needs his rest. He'll be out in a couple of days if he is doing better." Ryou's friends waved good-bye to him, and left.

(Well, they were being nice.) Yami Bakura remarked with a bit of wonder. They were always cold to him.

/That's because you did something good./ Ryou answered back.

"I think you should get some sleep." The doctor said. "Take these for the pain." He handed Bakura two pills and a cup of water.

Yami Bakura's good mood vanished.

Sleep.

Sleep meant dreams.

But the drugs he had taken were affecting him and he nodded off.

"_Where did he go?" _

"_Find him!" _

_Bakura cowered behind a stand in the market, trying to hide his stark white hair. He pulled a piece of clothe from a bale and covered himself with it. The guards and the noble he had stolen from ran past, not seeing him. _

_When he thought it was safe, Bakura slipped out. _

"_HEY YOU!" _

_The merchant saw him holding onto one of his fine clothes, and jumped to the conclusion that he was stealing it. _

"_THEIF! GUARDS! THEIF! THEIF!" the merchant bellowed, pointing at the fleeing Bakura. _

"_Ra." Bakura sighed as he ran again. _

_Evading the guards, pocketing a few things he saw along the way, he reached Mariku's home without further mishap. _

_He walked inside and was careful to seem as casual as usual. _

"_Hello, Kura!" Mariku bounded down the steps and slung an arm around Bakura's shoulders. _

_The white haired thief winced a bit at the nickname Mariku had thought up for him, but he let him use it._

"So that's where the nickname came from?" Ryou asked as he smiled at the sight of the hyper Mariku, so like Malik, and the somber Bakura.

"Yes. Which is why I let Malik call me it. It brings back good memories. But sometimes bad ones." Yami Bakura whispered, watching his younger self and his friend.

"Bad ones?" Ryou began, but then the scene changed.

_Fire. More fire. Bandits were running through the market, robbing and stealing and burning._

_They found the large manor where Bakura now lived. They howled in glee as they pillaged and burned their way through, killing slaves._

_The Pharaoh's guards were running around outside, trying to subdue the invaders. The bandits found Mariku's father trying to get his son and Bakura out of the house._

_They fought and killed Mariku's father, causing the kid to wail in rage and grief and attack them barehanded._

_Bakura went too, not wanting his friend to fight alone._

_Mariku was easily subdued, but Bakura had learned about hand-to-hand combat and was able to whisk away a dagger and kill one bandit. The one that held Mariku. Once he was free the two boys ran, with Bakura in the lead._

_He had found a secret room, and that is where he had hidden everything he had stolen._

_The bandits followed them, amused at their antics and thinking that they couldn't escape them._

_They were right._

_They broke their way into the room, where they stopped in shock._

_Gold and other valuables was piled up in there, the result of years of secret pick pocketing and stealing. Snatching baubles from market tables and sneaking into houses._

_"Bakura! What is all this? This isn't father's!" Mariku cried, staring around him._

_Bakura shifted his feet slightly._

_"I'm afraid I haven't been honest. I steal. I'm a thief. I've been one since before you met me." He turned to the bandits, who were helping themselves to his hoard._

_"It won't matter anyways. We're dead." Bakura shrugged._

_"Maybe not." The lead bandit, a tall Egyptian in rich red clothe with gold adorning his arms said. "You are obviously a skilled thief, to get some of the things in here. Like this." He held up a scarab beetle pendant, the symbol forever lasting life. "This could only come from someone the Pharaoh liked."_

_"We could use your skills." He smiled at Bakura, who considered his options. Better this than be killed._

_"And Mariku?" He asked, suddenly suspicious._

_"We don't need no rich man's brat." The bandit dismissed Mariku with a wave of his hand._

_"NO! I'm not leaving without Mariku! He's a brother to me." Bakura stated, and realized he spoke the truth._

_"Well, if you think so, I guess it is worth it to get someone of your potential." The bandit motioned for them to follow him._

Ryou woke up in his soul room and shook his head. To think that that was how his yami became how he was! He saved Mariku's life, which was indeed a noble thing to do. There was more to his yami than there seemed.

He drifted back off to sleep, and found himself in another memory.

_"Hurry up, Bakura!" Mariku whispered, clutching his bag of gold._

_"I'm coming. Just a moment." Bakura whispered back, dragging another bag and admiring a new armband with a bejeweled Osiris head upon it._

_"The Pharaoh will know we're here within moments, we tripped that alarm!" Mariku said, clambering out of a window in a vacated store room._

_"You mean YOU tripped it. I had avoided it and told you where it was, you were just to clumsy." Bakura replied easily, smiling as his friend protested._

_They vanished into the deserted town, skirting patrolling guards, and went to their new home in the desert._

_The Bandits' Lair._

End Chapter.

Thanks to all reviewers!

Daisaigai 697832: Thanks for your review. I update my stories whenever I can, so sometimes it takes awhile, depending on what I'm doing.

Michele: Thanks a lot!

Lilmatchgirl007: It could be a word. Thanks a lot! 

Queen-galux: Well, with all your loyal reviewers out there, you should update! Lol, thanks for your review!

Cwthewolf: Thanks!

Rubberduck: Thanks! Loyal reviewer, nice to have you back!

Goth-girl: Yeah, I thought it was.

Dinah: Thanks!

Tikaru: Thanks a lot!

Fast-Talking Johnny: Yeah, annoying things, those human emotions. Lol.


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

(.........) Yami's thinking

/........./ Hikari's thinking

"........." Normal speech

'.........' Normal thoughts

(A/N: .........) Author's Note

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

Chapter Eight

"_Pharaoh's guards!" _

"_Get the gold, let's get out of here!" _

_Whispers in the night._

_People Shouting._

_Bakura ran._

- - - - - -

Ryou was let out of the hospital a few days later, and was called "a marvel" by more than one doctor on his quick recovery.

Yami Bakura was silent for the most part. Ryou had tried talking to him, but it was like talking to a wall.

Yeah, a wall is the perfect thing to use in that sentence. Yami Bakura had put up a wall between Ryou and him, and wasn't taking it down.

/Bakura?/

No answer.

/Bakura, please answer me!/

Nothing but silence inside his head.

/Please, Bakura! I'm sorry that I couldn't defend myself and had to have you do it!/

Was that a little waver in the dark silence?

/Bakura, I'll fend for myself now!/

No, it stopped.

/I know we already discussed this, but please! I need to talk!/

Utter quiet. Dark shadows swirling.

/Bakura............/

- - - - -

(Another Dream.)

_Time._

_Time destroys all things. _

_But time would not have destroyed the village of Kuru Eruna. _

_The Pharaoh did that._

_And he will pay._

_Bakura and Mariku made him pay. They had risen in power and status in the Bandits' Lair. They were now high in the rankings, considered powerful and dangerous Tomb Robbers. _

_Mariku lived a double life. He had a cousin who he had went to after his father's large house was burned. _

_No one knew that the Mariku who lived with the Ishtar Family was the same Mariku that robbed the wealthy tombs of the rich. _

_Bakura was clearly on his way to becoming one of the greatest thieves to ever live. He was even raiding the Pharaoh's palace now. _

_Tonight, the Ishtar family was being honored by the Pharaoh for their loyalty and hard work, a rare honor. The family had protected the secrets of Pharaohs and their tombs for centuries, and now they were finally being repaid for that work. Mariku was attending as well, to avoid any suspicion. _

_Bakura decided that since tonight was a special night for his friend, he would lay off tonight's palace raid and go on a more simple raid of the merchant tombs. _

_They always had good stuff there. _

_Slipping through the desert sand and reaching the place where the rich nobles were buried, Bakura dodged the guards that were lazily standing about and entered one that he had been eyeing for the past couple of days._

_Picking the lock was simple. The locks were not hard at all and after the merchant had been entombed no one bothers to clean them, so they're rusty and old as well. _

_Entering, he cautiously put one foot in front of the other. Just because they were only merchants didn't mean they didn't have traps and false ends like the tombs of the royals. Just not so many. Soon, Bakura will rob the tomb of a royal person. A Pharaoh, or some other high and mighty lord. Maybe a priest. That might be fun. _

_Wrenching his thoughts to the situation at hand, he padded forwards, avoiding one stone in the floor that was a different hue of brown than its brothers. It might be a false alarm, but better safe than sorry. _

_The walls were dark, no torches lit, but Bakura could navigate pretty good in the dark, so he only lit a small candle, enough to see by without letting out too much light. _

_He paused before a door. Most tombs had false doors, with the real tomb farther back. But some switched the custom just to be difficult. _

_He had to check all the doors._

_He opened one and watched the darkness carefully. The stone door was heavy and wanted to shut, but Bakura was not entering until he figured out if there were any traps around. _

_He shone the small candle in, the dim light flickering upon close stonewalls and the dank floor. How nice and cool it was down here compared to the blazing heat above. Bakura liked the tombs. They represented many things: cool shelter, a place rich in valuables, and, most of all: a challenge. _

_And that is what Bakura wanted. _

_He wanted a challenge._

Ryou shifted in his sleep, waking up enough to go get a drink of water. The thoughts of Yami Bakura's raid still in his mind as he walked quietly down the hall.

Drinking the water and replacing the glass, and sleepily wandering over back to his bed, he plopped down and went back to sleep.

Oddly enough, his dream started where it had left off.

The corridor seemed clear of any dangers, but Bakura held the candle out farther, examining every crack in the stone of the walls and floor and ceiling. Looking for a trigger, a area wide enough to shoot a poisoned dart out of, to start a blaze of fire that filled the corridor, to release a large boulder, or any of the other numerous dangers of tomb robbing.

_Seeing none, he walked cautiously in, stepping carefully and lightly, balancing on his toes and ready to bolt if anything should happen. _

_He reached the end with no trouble, only to find a dead end._

_He frowned in disappointment, and walked back, walking just as carefully as before. _

_He searched the entire tomb, twice avoiding traps that would have ended his young life rather quickly. _

_But he had not found the true tomb. _

_Unless............._

_That may be. Bakura whirled and went back to the first dead end he had run into, and went down it, being just as cautious as the first time._

_He reached the end, and examined that wall carefully. Some people were rich and smart enough to have a false wall constructed in front of their tombs, to foil thieves. _

_Yes........right there. A hairline crack between the joining of the two stonewalls. Bakura flipped one of his knives out and edged the blade into the wall. He applied leverage, hoping that the merchant didn't have it sealed as well. Most merchants wanted their loyal family to keep dropping off offerings while they rested in the After Life. To do so, they would have to keep the wall moveable. _

_To his luck, the wall moved minutely, so he applied more pressure. _

_With a sharp CRACK the blade broke._

_Bakura stared in dismay at the worthless knife. _

_Cursing, he drew another one. This time the false wall opened and he was able to enter. _

_Before his eyes lay riches. _

_Gold, ceramic vases, blades of different sizes, rich food and wine, and other such valuables. _

_Bakura removed a satchel that he had brought for this moment. He would only take the best of the lot. Enough for him to carry without impeding his movement should he have to run. _

_Scooping up the best-made gold, he placed it in. Then he bypassed the other golden items and collected silver. _

_No matter what people will think, silver was better to steal than gold. Gold was heavier, bulkier, and more obvious. _

_Silver, on the other hand, was easier to melt down (and sell), was slimmer, less weight to carry, and a lot more silver can be carried at once than gold. _

_Slinging the pack over his shoulder, he left the tomb and wandered onto the sands of the desert. No one would know he had stolen anything until later._

_The challenges of life._

_So much fun._

(End Dream.)

Ryou woke up the next morning due to his alarm clock, and still no answer from Yami Bakura.

Ryou was starting to get worried.

(End Chapter.)

Thanks to all reviewers!

Anime Crazed: Thanks a lot! I try.

Telly: Yeah.......I like it when Yami Bakura humbles Yami. Thanks for your review.

IMPROVED Uber Rei Model 06: Sorry it's not yaoi, but I don't like to write it, even if I will read some. Thank for your review and I'm glad you still like my story!

Han Futsu: Anti Normal: Wow, thanks a lot!

Lilmatchgirl007: I know he's a bit OOC here, but I wouldn't go too far off his original character. But some people wanted a bit of fluff, so I gave it to them. Thanks for your review!

Fast-Talking Johnny: lol, thanks a lot!

Daisaigai 697832: Thanks a lot for your review! Yeah, Yami Bakura could be noble every once in a while, I guess.


	9. Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

(.........) Yami's thinking

/........./ Hikari's thinking

"........." Normal speech

'.........' Normal thoughts

(A/N: .........) Author's Note

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

Chapter Nine.

Ryou went to school the next day, remarkably healed because of the Ring. He used the note from the doctors to get out of PE and during lunch he was quiet.

"What's the matter, Ryou?" Joey asked as he stuffed his face with a pizza.

"Nothing." Ryou whispered.

"Liar." Tristan remarked from across the table.

"What is it?" Yugi questioned.

Ryou sighed.

"Bakura won't talk to me. He hasn't since the hospital." Ryou admitted.

"Why?" Joey asked, taking one of Ryou's fries.

"I don't know!" Ryou sighed. "I don't know. But I do miss him. That is odd, isn't it? For so long he's been mean to me, and now that he is leaving me alone I want him back."

Yugi watched him with sympathy. He couldn't imagine it if Yami would refuse to talk to him.

(You don't have to worry about that, Yugi.) Yami whispered in Yugi's mind.

/I know./ Yugi answered.

Ryou buried his head into his arms, surrendering his fries to Joey.

/Yami?/ He called desperately.

- - - - - - - -

_Mariku came back the next night. He looked a bit gleeful about something._

"_Well? How did the little banquet go with the Pharaoh?" Bakura asked his friend as they lay out on top of the roof of their current dwelling, staring at the brilliant stars._

"_Evidently, my family is to guard the tombs of the pharaohs forever." Mariku said, laughing at the irony. "Imagine, I am stealing from those tombs, and now my family is supposed to watch them." _

_Bakura snickered._

"_You'll have to be sure they don't know anything about me or your little raids now." He said._

"_I know that, 'Kura." _

- - - - - - - -

"I know that, 'Kura." Malik said, staring into Yami Bakura's eyes. It was deep into the night, Ryou had fallen asleep and Bakura had taken control and crept out, desperate to talk to someone.

"I know you know I've been having dreams. That's not the point!" Bakura sighed. "The point is, I've got to stop Ryou from seeing them!"

"Why is that?" Malik asked.

"Because, my memories are getting closer to the time when I finally went on rampage! He does not need to see what I did........." Bakura whispered, sinking onto the couch in Malik's home.

"You care for him, don't you?" Malik said, sitting next to Bakura.

The spirit looked away.

"Yes." He said softly.

"Then, I think you should be truthful and let him see. He will forgive you. He always does." Malik said, sure of himself.

Bakura buried his head into his arms.

"But the things I've done........." he whispered.

"You regret them?"

"Yes."

"You wish you didn't do them?"

"Some, yes."

"Then he will understand." Malik said, as if the case was closed.

"Now, go home and get some rest, Ryou needs to go to school tomorrow." Malik said, pointing towards the door.

Bakura nodded and stood, walking towards the door.

He paused.

Isis stood before him, watching him.

He bowed slightly to her, then walked through the door.

- - - - - - - - -

Ryou woke up.

Bakura had been out last night.

The reason Ryou knew this was because he only saw a fraction of a dream/memory, then a normal dreamless sleep after.

That and he felt a bit less rested than usual.

/Good morning, Bakura./ Ryou said, as he did every morning.

And, as it was every morning, there was no answer.

Ryou sighed and went to school. It was a bit chilly and he pulled his jacket tighter around him.

Cars drove past, and there was the muffled sound of a motorcycle.

"Hey, Ryou! Want a lift?"

Ryou looked over to see Malik riding slowly next to him, tires almost touching the curb.

He pondered whether he should or not.

But as he thought, he felt a sudden awareness in the back of his mind. It was the first time he had felt Bakura since the hospital.

Well, if Malik is what it takes to get Bakura to talk, then Ryou would go with Malik.

He nodded and hopped onto the bike behind Malik, accepting the second helmet.

The speed they were going at caused the chill air to bite into Ryou's hands as he hung onto Malik's waist.

They whirled around a corner, causing Ryou to hold his breath at the dangerous turn.

Maybe he shouldn't have ridden with Malik.

They reached the school, Malik locking up his bike. If anyone tried to steal it, he would know, for not only did he use modern locks, but also Shadow Sealed it as well. No one can pick the lock he sets on his beloved motorcycle.

They walked into the school together, quiet.

"See ya later, Ryou!" Malik said cheerfully as Yugi and co. spotted them and walked over.

"Alright. Thanks for the ride, Malik." Ryou answered. Malik flashed him a grin and sauntered off.

"Are you alright, Ryou?" Yugi asked.

Ryou smiled.

"I'm just fine." He said. He felt a bit better, too. Bakura's defenses didn't seem so strong today, and Ryou could almost feel his yami's emotions.

Almost.

Classes went better than they did yesterday, and once again Ryou was able to avoid PE. He was happy about that, as they were doing a multi-exercise day with suicides, push ups, sit ups, pull-ups, laps, and all that.

Joey griped and groaned to him as they went to lunch.

"Man, Ryou. I wish I can get hit by a car and pull a great recovery but still be able to come to school. I like Biology now that we're done with all that technical stuff, but I would gladly be able to miss THIS class." He muttered.

Ryou smiled.

"Next time, I'll be sure to let you get hit by a car." He said, and Joey pulled a face.

"Thanks a lot. That's not what I meant."

Ryou laughed. Nothing like his friends to lighten his heart.

"Come on, lunch is just ahead." Tristan said, punching Joey in the arm.

Joey took aim at Tristan as Ryou shook his head.

"I'm going to sit with Malik today, okay guys?" He told them.

"Why?" Tea asked. She never did really like Malik. She cast a glance to where the Egyptian was sitting alone at a table. He didn't seem to mind eating by himself.

Ryou ducked his head and made sure no one around was listening.

"Because Bakura went on a little walk last night and I think he went to Malik's, because Malik met me on my way to school and seemed to want to say something. I think he was going to say it when we got here but you guys came along. So maybe he has something to say about Bakura." Ryou explained.

"Oh, well then, see you in class." Yugi said, waving at Ryou. The white haired boy waved back at his friends and walked over to Malik.

Purple eyes glanced up before looking back at the food before him.

"Hey, Ryou. What's up?" Malik asked, applying some ketchup to his burger.

"The ceiling is what's up." Ryou answered, grinning as Malik rolled his eyes.

"Really, you need more original responses." Malik said, grinning at his friend.

"I had something to ask........." Ryou began.

"I kind of thought you did." Malik stated off handedly, squinting one eye as he carefully ordered his fries just right.

"I thought you didn't eat meat." Ryou said, looking at the burger.

"This, my friend, is a veggie burger. Isis made it for me and I nuked it in the cafeteria's microwave." Malik said, waving with a flourish towards the doors that led to the kitchens.

"They let you in there?" Ryou asked.

"With the proper notes from Isis and the principals, they did." Malik answered.

"Was this note from the principals long and gold, with a Egyptian Eye on it?" Ryou asked casually, grinning as Malik pouted.

"No. A actual note." He said, crossing his arms.

"Fine. If you say so."

Malik sniffed. "Well, what did you want to ask me?" he said, and the gleam in his eyes suggested that he already knew what Ryou was going to ask.

"Did Bakura stop over last night? I already told you about the dream/memories I've been having, so you understand me when I say I only had a portion of one last night." Ryou asked, eyeing Malik carefully as the blonde picked up his veggie burger.

"Yes. He did." Malik said, unusually sober and serious.

"What did he say? Why won't he talk to me?" Ryou asked softly, and Malik could hear the concern and anguish in Ryou's voice.

Should he tell Ryou? He was sure Bakura wouldn't want him too, but Ryou was a friend too.

Oh well, the Tomb Robber will get over it.

"Bakura did come over. He told me a couple of things. He didn't tell me why he wasn't talking to you, but he did tell me why he was upset." Malik said, biting his lip.

"Why? He's been brooding, and I can feel it, but I can't feel HIM." Ryou said, close to despair.

"His memories are nearing the point where he goes beserk and crazy, and starts rampaging across Egypt." Malik answered. "He doesn't want you to see those memories, he's afraid you'll never forgive him for the cruelty he displays."

"Why does he finally snap?" Ryou asked, understanding in his eyes.

"I don't know. He wouldn't tell me and he seems to try and avoid it." Malik said.

"Maybe it's the Ring." Ryou said, fingering the leather cord said Ring was hung upon.

"I don't know." Malik answered.

"But I sure hope we find out."

- - - - - - - - - - -

"_Well, gee, 'Kura." Mariku said, grinning at his friend._

"_What is it now, Mariku?" Bakura answered, staring over the flat sand._

"_You're a wonder, do you know that? For one thing, you've gone this long without being caught, and you do all the truly crazy stuff." _

"_Crazy stuff? How is this crazy?" Bakura asked, turning to look his friend in the eyes._

"_Well, I can think of many, but his takes the pot. I mean, ROBBING A PREIST'S TOMB??" Mariku shook his head. "And you call me crazy."_

"_You are crazy."_

"_If I'm crazy, you're insane. A psycho." _

"_You say psycho like it's a bad thing." Bakura said smartly. Mariku shook his head._

"_You're a wonder." _

"_You said that already."_

(End Chapter.)

Thanks to all reviewers!

Youkai no tenchii: Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like it! I admit I'm pretty good at depressing stories that have a nice flair. Lol.

Chonteclair: Thanks!

Yami No Marik: I don't really like yaoi, though I will read it. You're right when you say there are not many plain Ryou and Bakura fics that aren't yaoi. Thanks for your review! I like writing about Bakura's past!

Daisaigai 697832: Really? I didn't know that. All I know is that silver is less bulky and easier to steal than gold. I have a fetish for coins, you see. Mostly old silver coins, and they are easier to carry than the other kinds I have.

Seethe: Thanks for your review!

Zircon: Lol, here's the next chapter and sorry for the wait. I've been having a difficulty getting the ideas I want typed up properly.

Fast-Talking Johnny: Yep, he does always want to have his say, but for now he needs to be quiet. I don't know why yet, but I will!

Telly: Thanks for your review!

Anime Crazed: Glad you liked, I enjoyed writing that!

HANDHELD Uber Rei Model 05: Lol, thanks for your review.

Queen-galux: Thanks for your reviw!


	10. Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

(.........) Yami's thinking

/........./ Hikari's thinking

"........." Normal speech

'.........' Normal thoughts

(A/N: .........) Author's Note

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

Chapter Ten:

_Bakura ran desperately. _

_The guards were getting smarter._

_He had to try harder and harder to escape with whatever he had taken at the time. He had even snuck into the palace a time or two, and now had a new name._

_The Ghost of the Desert._

_Or, more commonly used, just The Ghost._

_The name came from his pale skin and silver hair._

_He had been glimpsed by guards and bystanders often enough that now he couldn't go out in the light of day, otherwise he would be taken in by the guards._

_He could only go out at night._

Ryou awoke to a loud boom of thunder, and shivered as a cold draft came through his open window. He got up and closed the window, shutting out the wind and rain.

Unable to sleep, he went downstairs to watch TV.

He stayed that way until he fell asleep.

As he slept, Yami Bakura appeared in his spirit form, watching his hikari's chest rise and fall.

"Oh, Ryou. I promised not to hurt you anymore. Seeing the memories that will come sooner or later will hurt you, of that I'm sure." He whispered to himself, before fading away.

"I have to figure out how to block them."

- - - - - - - -

The memories came quicky, Ryou saw almost three every night.

Each one got steadily worse, with Bakura having to do riskier and riskier things to get away from guards.

He had to kill anyone who saw him now.

Whether they were women, men, soldiers, elderly.

Or children.

Bakura killed them.

_Bakura slipped through the palace corridors, slitting the throat of the nearest guard with impossible ease._

_The body fell without a sound, guided by the hands of the youth behind him._

_Bakura grinned, revealing sharpened teeth._

_He was slowly losing his qualms about killing when necessary. He now killed whenever he felt like it and didn't feel bad._

_He could kill without thinking about it._

_And killing began to become fun._

_A whole lot of fun._

- - - - - - - -

Bakura snapped awake, gasping. He had unconsciously taken over Ryou's body.

He glanced outside, to see bright sunshine.

It was a weekday, so there was no school.

Yami Bakura felt the sudden need to walk outside. To hear the birds and feel the wind.

So he dressed and left, not bothering to eat anything.

After all, he was immortal.

Ryou could eat when he got control back.

- - - - - - -

/Yami?/ Ryou asked, waking up.

There was no answer, but Ryou looked out through their shared eyes and saw the park.

Bakura was sitting in the park, staring at nothing.

/Bakura?/ Ryou began again.

(What is it, Ryou?) Bakura finally asked.

/Yami! Why haven't you been talking to me?/

There was no answer.

Ryou felt his body tire, he had not slept well that night.

Bakura let his chin drop to his neck and his eyes closed, deciding a small nap would be alright.

After all, what kind of dream could he have in five minutes?

- - - - - - - - -

_Bakura had heard news that a traitor to the pharaoh had been captured and was going to be executed in an hour._

_Naturally curious to see who had been foolish enough to get caught, Bakura pulled the hood lower over his features and climbed up to the roofs, running swiftly until he reached the town center._

_He gaped in shock at what he saw._

_Mariku was hanging limp between two posts. He was unconscious, and beaten black and blue. There were whip lashes across his back, and the chains around his wrists were cutting the skin._

"_Mariku." Bakura whispered. _

"_Yes, Thief. We have your friend. So, give us the Ring of a Thousand Years and we will release him." _

_Bakura snapped around._

_A priest stood behind him, with the Sennen Rod in hand._

_It had been a trick. Someone had found out about Bakura's and Mariku's connection, and had baited him to coming here._

"They won't release him, even if I had given up." Yami Bakura commented.

Ryou blinked and looked at him, then turned to watch the drama being carried out.

Bakura bit his lip, and hesitantly backed away from the roof.

"_Careful, little one." The priest said, moving closer slowly, treating Bakura like a wild, dangerous animal that could spook and take off or attack at any moment. _

_Bakura toed the edge, watching his friend the entire time. _

_The priest reached over, carefully, and pointed towards the motionless figure below them._

"_Give yourself up, and your friend will be released." The priest said._

_Bakura turned and looked back at Mariku. _

_The pharaoh stood just to the right of him, a lot of guards clustered about him._

_The pharaoh was looking right at the young thief._

_Bakura sighed, and stepped away from the edge._

"Friendship is a wonderful thing, isn't it? For my friend I would have given up all the power I had gained. I would have given my life for my friend." Bakura whispered, watching the scene.

"_Thank you. And now, as I promised, your friend shall be released." The priest smiled slyly, and gestured at the guards. _

_One of the guards raised a knife, and Bakura had a sudden premonition. _

"_Mariku!" He cried, as the knife flashed down, not at the ropes holding him, but at his unprotected neck._

_The priest before him grinned, and swung a blow with the Millennium Rod towards Bakura's head. _

What happened next was distorted. Everything was filmed in a red haze, but Ryou could see the priest look up in shock as the Rod missed as Bakura ducked and lashed out, drawing a dagger swiftly.

_His friend. His only friend had been killed._

_Bakura's eyes narrowed to slits, and he snarled like a wild animal as he slit the priest's arm._

_Bakura turned and ran._

"_Mariku........._

_You shall be avenged."_

- - - - - - -

(End Chapter.)

Thanks to all reviewers!

Seethe: Thanks for your review!

Yami No Marik: Thanks for your review, I completely agree!

Telly: Love the word rampage. It's great. Thanks for your review!

Zircon: Lol, I agree. Thanks for your review!

Youkai no tenchii: Thanks for your review! Is this chapter depressing enough?

Fast-Talking Johnny: Thanks for your review, and hope you liked this chapter!

HANDHELD Uber Rei Model 05: Thanks for your review!

Anime Craze: I haven't seen any of the shows of Bakura's past. All I know is what I read on the episode guides. Thanks for your review!


	11. Chapter Eleven

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

(.........) Yami's thinking

/........./ Hikari's thinking

"........." Normal speech

'.........' Normal thoughts

(A/N: .........) Author's Note

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

Chapter Eleven

Joey walked with Yugi and co, enjoying the day.

They had decided not to call Ryou to see if he wanted to go to the arcade with them, as Ryou had been having troubles with his yami and was still healing a bit.

Joey stopped for a moment, seeing a familiar white haired figure slumped on one of the benches, knees up and arms crossed over them. He walked over, and sat down beside him.

"What's the matter, Ryou?" Joey asked. He glanced over to his friends, but they had not noticed and had walked on.

"I'm not Ryou." Came a low voice, and Yami Bakura raised his head. Joey was a bit psyched out, and stuttered a bit, scooting away from that side of the bench.

"Sorry, Bakura. Didn't know that was you." Joey said, and was thinking on taking a desperate leap and run away from the Tomb Robber.

Yami Bakura didn't answer, but lowered his head into his crossed arms once more.

Joey was surprised by the lack of the usual crazy attitude or threats.

"Are you okay?" He asked, not daring to move closer but too kind hearted to just let someone sit in depression. And Ryou trusted him, so Joey would give it a shot.

"Fine." Yami Bakura muttered, not lifting his head.

"Excuse me for saying this, but you don't look fine." Joey pointed out, relaxing slightly.

Yami Bakura snorted.

"It's those dream memory thingies, isn't it?" Joey asked. Ryou had told them about it, so it seemed logical that those were what was causing the dark spirit to be so depressed.

"Yes."

"What are they about?" Joey asked, genuinely curious.

"My past." Yami Bakura whispered. Why was he even talking to the idiot? Guess it was just because he needed someone to talk too, and Ryou was as preoccupied with the latest memory as he was.

"Was your past all that bad? What had happened?" Joey wondered, and Yami Bakura glanced at him.

"Too many woes to tell." Yami Bakura said, "But the start of it was the total annihilation of my village, my family, and my friends."

Joey was shocked. That was a hard blow to any kid.

"How did that happen? Why?" Joey whispered. This was probably a touchy subject.

"To make these." Yami Bakura withdrew the Millennium Ring from under his shirt. "Ninety Nine sacrifices needed, and Kuru Eruna slaughtered to get them."

"That's horrible!" Joey exclaimed. "Was that the dream you got?"

Bakura shook his head. "No. That was the first dream I had. Many more followed that. The one that I saw now was of an old friend." Yami Bakura's voice trembled a bit.

"What happened?" Joey pressed.

Yami Bakura didn't answer, but watched the people walk on by.

"Do you know how fleeting life is?" Yami Bakura asked softly, not really asking anyone but begging for an answer, for company.

"What? What does this have to do with anything?" Joey asked, confused.

"Mortals die. They live and die. When I gained the Ring I had a longer life than others. My friends died around me and I lived on." Yami Bakura lowered his head.

"Then I was sealed into the Ring, full of hate and anger. I used my past bearers, used their bodies for my purposes, but they aged and died as well. Now I have finally found the perfect host. Ryou is the other half of my soul. I cannot bear to lose him. But one day I will." Yami Bakura's voice broke, and Joey understood.

"You like living now. You're not out to get revenge for that village of yours, not anymore. I think I understand. Man, I don't think I can offer any comfort for that." Joey mused, slumping down.

Yami Bakura snorted again.

"I don't really expecting you to have any comfort for me." He said critically, smiling a sarcastic smile.

"I would if I had any." Joey protested, then realized he had only restated what the spirit had just said.

"What I mean is that I would offer you comfort if I knew what to say." Joey said, smiling at the irate Tomb Robber.

"Would you now?"

"Yes. Now, what was this latest memory that bothered you?" Joey asked, curious at the fact that Yami Bakura was being open and un-hostile.

"As I had just said, it was the death of a friend. A very close friend." Yami Bakura said, eyes dropping as he wandered into his thoughts again.

"Anyone I would know?" Joey asked, half joking.

Yami Bakura glanced at him, raising a silver eyebrow.

"Well, I mean, I know Yugi, and Kaiba, and they were in the past. So maybe whoever died in your memory I might know." Joey answered at the silent inquiry.

As Yami Bakura still stared at him, Joey sighed.

"It made sense to me." He muttered.

The spirit beside him snorted.

"It would."

"HEY!" Joey said, standing up. Why bother comforting the spirit if he was only going to insult him??

"Yes, you would know him." Yami Bakura said, switching subjects quickly and leaving Joey standing up confused before he remembered his earlier question.

"Oh. So, who was it?"

"Malik." Yami Bakura whispered.

"Malik?? He was in the past too??" Joey said, blinking in surprise.

"Yes."

"So, were you two great friends?" Joey asked, seeing that Yami Bakura needed to talk about it.

"Yes." The spirit said, the word sounding a bit forced.

"Did you try and save him?"

Yami Bakura glared coldly at Joey.

"No." The word was filled with regret and old, remembered pain.

"No? Why?" Joey asked, confused. Sure, the Tomb Robber was evil, but he wouldn't leave a friend alone to die, would he?

"I had a Millennium Rod pointed at my face." Yami Bakura said evenly, and decided it would be easier to show Joey.

He waved a hand, the Millennium Ring glowing slightly, and a small section of the Shadow Realm appeared before them.

Joey jumped, before glancing nervously at the people walking past them. They didn't seem to notice anything, so Bakura must be cloaking it as well.

So he turned and watched the images form.

Yami Bakura closed his eyes, listening to the small voices, picturing perfectly what was going on. He opened his crimson eyes and regarded the memory.

_One of the guards raised a knife, and Bakura had a sudden premonition. _

"_Mariku!" He cried, as the knife flashed down, not at the ropes holding him, but at his unprotected neck._

Joey had seen enough.

"Stop it." He whispered.

Yami Bakura waved a hand again, and the memory stopped and the Shadow Realm faded.

"So.........you did try and save him." Joey said, turning and seeing the spirit in a new light.

"No, I didn't. I did nothing." Yami Bakura corrected, self-loathing in his eyes and voice at his view of his failure to save his friend.

"Ah! But you did!" Joey cried out triumphantly. "You were willing to give up in order to have Malik released, so you DID try and help!"

Bakura regarded the blonde, head cocked.

Joey sighed.

"If you don't believe me, you don't. But I know what I saw." Joey said.

Yami Bakura still stared at him, before sighing and closing his eyes.

His hair flattened and his eyes softened.

Ryou blinked up at Joey.

"Hey, Joey, what are you doing?" Ryou asked, leaning back against the bench. Yami Bakura had returned to his Soul Room without a word to his hikari, and Ryou woke up to find himself sitting next to Joey.

"Nothing Ryou. Hey, ya' wanna' go to the arcade?" Joey asked. "Everyone else is already there."

"Sure."

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Kill! Kill! KILL!_

_He'll kill them all for what they did! They killed Mariku! They killed his only friend!_

_Mariku.........oh, Mariku. How could they do this to you?_

_The teenager with flowing white hair threw back his head and howled his rage to the moon above._

- - - - - - - - - -

Ryou finished playing at the arcade with his friends, and they all went out for pizza.

Ordering pepperoni and sausage, they sat down and waited for their delicious dinner.

Ryou was occupied with trying to find out why his yami was so quiet, but once again nothing made an impact on the spirit.

Joey leaned over to whisper to Ryou.

"Your other talked to me today. Earlier, when we were alone." He said softly.

"And?" Ryou asked, curious.

"He told me of his latest memory." Joey paused as Ryou flinched at the mention of it. "Yeah, I know, it blows, doesn't it?" the blonde smiled.

"Just make sure your yami knows he can talk to me. He's an okay guy, when you look past the evil, sadistic side of him." Joey joked, smiling. Ryou smiled back, and the two turned back as their dinner arrived.

The rest of the night was spent in laughter as Tristan and Joey started a eating contest, stuffing pizza slice after slice into their mouths.

- - - - - - - - -

Afterwards, Yugi and Ryou walked home.

"Hey, Ryou, meet me at the Kame shop tomorrow, okay? I found something there that seemed interesting. Come over as soon as you can." Yugi said, smiling up at his friend.

"Sure." Ryou said, nodding at him. The shorter boy walked off.

What did Yugi have that could be so interesting as to have him come over as soon as possible?

- - - - - - - - - -

The next morning, Ryou got up and ate a quick breakfast, then, since there was no school, walked to the Kame Shop.

"Ryou! You're here! Come on, look at this!" Yugi said, practically bouncing with excitement.

Ryou followed him and stopped at the sight of a really, really, old book that had the Eye of Wisdom printed on the cover.

"It's a spell book from Egypt! From our yamis' time!" Yugi cried, grabbing the book.

"Yugi, where did you get it?" Ryou wondered, and felt his yami's curious mind press up.

"Isis loaned it to me, she showed me the spell I want to try!" Yugi said, flipping rapidly through the pages.

"A spell?" Ryou said. This might not be a good idea.

"Yep. One that would give our yami's their own bodies." Yugi said happily.

".........did you say what I thought you said?" Ryou breathed. To have Yami Bakura have his own physical form, to have his yami finally able to be held and comforted during these terrifying dreams.........

"Yeah! They can have their own bodies! They will still be connected to the Millennium Items, of course, and they won't be alive, but they can be here without taking over us!" Yugi said happily.

Ryou smiled.

This could just be what Yami Bakura needed.

Hopefully, he wouldn't go ballistic during one of his memories and go about killing someone.

Ryou could only hope.

(End Chapter.)

Thanks to all reviewers!

Swee: Thanks for all your reviews!

Crriiccket: Thanks for your review!

Daisaigai Okamiotoko: I know, but I needed to have something to send Bakura over the edge.

Rubberduck: Thanks for your review!

Snop: Thanks for your review!

Youkai No Tenchii: I think Bakura had a point to take revenge too. First his village and then Mariku? I know I would. Thanks for your review!

Fast-Talking Johnny: Sorry, but I had too kill him. Thanks for your review!

Anime Crazed: Sorry I had to kill him, but it was necessary. Thanks for your review!

Telly: Sorry, I don't play Sims. Thanks for your review!

Kitsune of Destruction: I know, I don't like reading yaoi or romance stories, and it is just plain HARD to find one without any of those elements! Thanks for your review!

RabidShadow: I will be sure to do that.

Zircon: Well, compared to others my chapters are actually pretty long, but they would be longer, but I am suffering from writer's block. Thanks for your review!

Chibi Neesan: Sorry, I had to kill him. Thanks for your review!

Queen-galux: I'm updating as fast as I can with this writer's block hampering me and dragging me down! I can come up with the memories, but between those I have trouble finding out what to put! Argh! Thanks for your review!


	12. Chapter Twelve

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

(.........) Yami's thinking

/........./ Hikari's thinking

"........." Normal speech

'.........' Normal thoughts

(A/N: .........) Author's Note

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

**Okay, some deaths and torture in here! You are warned!**

Chapter Twelve

The spell went without trouble, Yugi and Ryou working together to get it done.

When it finished, there was a blinding flash of light and the two forms were split into four.

Yami and Yugi embraced with joy, while Yami Bakura and Ryou just kind of stared at each other.

Then Ryou's feelings won out and he hugged the Tomb Robber, who stiffened slightly, but didn't pull away.

"Thanks Yugi, thanks a lot!" Ryou cried.

Bakura snorted, but nodded anyways. He turned and left, leaving a flustered Ryou standing behind with the other two boys.

Bakura walked out, noting the bright sunshine. Who would have thought the spell would take a matter of five minutes to accomplish?

Slumping into a park bench, he sighed and closed his eyes.

- - - - - - - -_ - -_

_The thief was here somewhere. He was seen entering this tomb._

_The guards searched the area twice, and then left. As soon as they were gone one of the shadows stirred and stepped out. He gazed at the way they had left for a moment before moving off, his movements utterly silent and almost cat-like. _

_If anybody had been there to hear, they wouldn't have heard a footstep. _

_But they would have heard a low chuckle._

_Bakura slipped into the tomb and proceeded to loot everything of value._

_When the guards came back, they stared in shock._

The thief they had been searching for had been through. Everything was gone. Into his hands had gone all the priceless treasures of the Pharaoh. Figurines, the gold plates and goblets meant for the afterlife, necklaces, rings, and bracelets of gold set with exquisitely cut and polished gems. From the brilliance of diamonds to the opacity of jade, ivory, and opal.

_Bakura threw back his head and laughed._

- - - - - - - -

"BAKURA!!"

Ryou's cry snapped Bakura's concentration, and he shot to his feet. He accessed their mind-link to figure out what was wrong with his hikari, and got feelings of panic and fear.

Snarling, Bakura ran.

- - - - - -

Yami and Yugi were enjoying their now separate forms when they heard Ryou cry Bakura's name.

He had left only five minutes ago. What could have happened in that short amount of time?

They rushed out of the Kame shop and paused, unsure of where to go.

- - - - - -

Bakura followed his senses. When he and Ryou had split into separate forms, the Ring had been transferred to him instead of Ryou. So he couldn't use it to appear at Ryou's side like he could have if Ryou was wearing it.

He spotted the Pharaoh and the mini-Pharaoh standing around confused, obviously looking for Ryou.

He growled and sped up, disappearing around and into one of the dark allies.

- - - - - - - - -

Yami and Yugi saw Bakura dart past.

Imagine, only five minutes into his new body and already things were going wrong.

They followed the Tomb Robber.

- - - - - - - - - -

Backed up against a wall was Ryou. Three thugs cornered him.

One of the bullies had a bloody nose, courtesy of Ryou.

Bakura whirled around a corner.

"What?? Twins?" One thug asked, blinking.

Bakura didn't slow as he leapt into them.

- - - - - -

When Yugi and Yami ran into the ally, they saw Bakura pinning one of the bullies to the wall and the other two slumped on the ground. Ryou was cowering against the wall still.

Yami Bakura ran the flat side of a knife blade along the bully's arm. The boy trembled in fear, whimpering.

The spirit grinned, enjoying the effect he was having on the mortal.

He leaned in close, whispering into his victim's ear.

"If you ever touch Ryou again, I'll kill you." Bakura hissed, enjoying the shuddering chills of the kid before him. Ryou wasn't responding to anything.

Yugi inched past to help Ryou. The three bullies had terrorized him brutally in a quick and efficient manner.

"Ryou, what did they do to you?" Yugi gasped, seeing bruises along his friend's face.

"Yugi?" Ryou whispered.

"Yeah, Ryou, what happened?"

"They hit me Yugi. They called me a filthy mutt and they hit me........." Ryou whispered, burying his face into his arms again.

Yami approached Bakura, stopping to check the two bodies on the ground.

Dead.

"Bakura? Bakura, don't kill. Don't kill them, Bakura." Yami coaxed to the irate spirit, who was glaring at the bully after hearing Ryou's words, and the Pharaoh flinched as the Tomb Robber dragged the knife down the kid's arm again, barely touching the skin but doing so enough that the bully felt it. The kid whimpered in terror, regarding the white haired and red-eyed demon before him with utter horror.

Bakura laughed softly, the dark sound causing Yami to break out into goose bumps and a chill to run down his spine.

"Bakura? Please, Bakura, don't kill him." Yami pleaded, but was ignored.

"Yeah, man. Listen to yer friend! Don't kill me........." the kid begged, and sucked in his breath when the knife was placed at his throat.

"Beg." Bakura said, eyes gleaming with insanity and blood thirst.

"Wh.........what?" The kid stuttered, his whole body, (taller and broader than Bakura, though that didn't seem to make a difference.) was trembling now.

"Beg. You called Ryou a filthy mutt, a beaten dog. You hit him like you hit a dog. Now you will be the dog. Beg!" Bakura hissed, pressing harder on the knife, causing the blade to dig in a bit.

"Please! Please don't hurt me! Don't kill me! Please!" The boy cried, tears running unabashed down his cheeks.

Bakura laughed. He continued to taunt the mortal, running the blade suggestively along his throat, cutting him slightly to enjoy his pain.

The tough bully was reduced to a shivering, crying mess.

"Bakura! Don't do this! Ryou wouldn't want you to do this!" Yami cried, grabbing onto his fellow spirit's arm.

Bakura snarled, twisting his head to bare his fangs at Yami, who held on regardless.

The bully took the distraction to lash out, his spiked bracelet catching Bakura across the face.

Yami released his hold on Bakura's arm, shocked.

Bakura turned to the corner bully, growling low in his throat like some feral animal.

"Stay away from me, man! I mean it!" The kid searched for a weapon, any weapon. He spotted a broken bottle along the wall, and grabbed it.

"Yugi, get Ryou out of here! Take him to the shop!" Yami hissed, and Yugi hastened to get Ryou up on his feet and they both ran from the ally.

Bakura was approaching the trembling kid, still growling. He paced back and forth slowly several feet away, and the kid backed up until he hit the end of the ally, the dead end that was made of brick, with trashcans and papers scattered.

"Stay away, man!" The kid shouted, waving the bottle. "You're crazy!" he cried.

Bakura laughed, wiping away the blood that was running from the cut under his eye.

He slowly licked the blood from his hand, staring unblinkingly at the bully as he did so.

"You are crazy, get away you psycho! Make him go away!" The mortal shouted, looking pleadingly at Yami.

Bakura snarled at Yami, making sure the other spirit did nothing to bother him.

"Stay out of this, Pharaoh!" He hissed, eyes flashing. His hair seemed even spikier than before, and the air crackled with his power.

"Get away, man, get away from me!"

"DIE!" Bakura snarled, lunging forwards with his knife.

"BAKURA, DON'T!!" Yami shouted.

It was too late.

- - - - - - - -

Ryou and Yugi were in the Kame shop, with Yugi applying band aids as necessary to Ryou's cuts and bruises.

"Are sure you're okay, Ryou?" Yugi asked for the fifth time.

"Yes, Yugi, I'm fine." Ryou said wearily, touched by his friend's concern.

"So what happened?" Yugi asked as he finished.

"I'm not sure.........I had left here to go find Bakura, and those three guys shoved me into that ally and tried to take my money. When I didn't have any they hit me........." Ryou trailed off.

"I hope my yami doesn't get too carried away." Ryou whispered.

"He shouldn't, because my Yami is there too." Yugi said brightly.

Ryou was going to respond when Yami walked in.

Bakura was not with him.

"Where's Bakura?" Ryou asked worriedly.

Yami looked a bit stricken, pale and shaking slightly.

"He killed them."

"What?" Yugi asked.

Yami turned to look at the two boys.

"He killed that kid, the one in the ally. He made him scream and cry and then he killed him." Yami whispered.

"Where is he now?" Ryou asked, worried about his yami.

"I don't know."

(End Chapter)

Thanks to all reviewers!

Zircon: Yes, I hate writer's block. The thing is, I have ideas, and I just can't seem to get them down in writing.

Seethe: Thanks for your review!

Bluegrass Elf: Thanks for your review!

Yami No Marik: Thanks; I wasn't sure how the whole separate body thing would go over. Thanks for y our review!

Crash&Burn: Thanks for your review!

Bubbles: Thanks for your review!

Youkai No Tenchii: It does seem dangerous, but I thought it would spice up the story a bit.

Anime Crazed: Lol, yes, Yami B. is a nickname I use in my stories for Yami Bakura. Joey mostly calls him that in my stories. I don't mind, though! It's not like I'm the only one to use it! Thanks for your review!

Telly: Thanks for your review!

Fast-Talking Johnny: Thanks for your review!

Queen-galux: Thanks for your review!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

Review responses at the end of the chapter.

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

(.........) Yami thinking

/........./ Hikari thinking

'.........' Normal thought

"........." Normal speech

(A/N:.........) Author's Note

Chapter Thirteen

Ryou tried to use the Ring to find his yami, but it wasn't responding. Panicked, confused, and still aching from the bullies' beating, he searched for Bakura, hoping he wasn't in too much trouble.

Random memories shot through his mind. If his mind drifted, if he got lost in his thoughts, he got another memory snippet. There seemed no stop to them. They just continued, whether Ryou was watching or not. So he saw random moments that didn't seem connected to each other.

_Screams._

_Wild laughter._

"_Scream, scream, scream and cry! Scream and cry until you DIE!" _

_More laughter, rising in pitch until it was a full blown cackle._

_The screams continued, filled with anguish and torment._

Ryou shook his head, shuddering.

It seems that Mariku's death in the dream had finally cracked Bakura's past self.

- - - - - - - - -

Ryou felt it now.

A small tug, almost a nudge.

Bakura was near.

It had been hours.

_Red eyes narrowed, surveying the dead guards._

_The Pharaoh was next._

- - - - - - - -

Bakura was on a bench, eyes squeezed shut, hands clasping his hair, back bowed.

"Bakura?" Ryou asked hesitantly.

His yami's hands were bloody.

"'Kura?" He asked, using Bakura's nickname.

Bakura's head snapped up, turning to focus on Ryou. His eyes were dark, swirling with pain and rage, and there was a insane glint to them.

Then he recognized Ryou, and relaxed.

Ryou, sensing this, went over and sat beside his yami.

He slowly reached out and hugged his yami, trying to offer what comfort he could.

Considering his yami had killed three people, and maybe more, Ryou didn't know what he could do to comfort his yami.

Not a clue.

- - - - - -

"_Guards! Guards, come quick! I've been robbed!"_

_Bakura crouched behind a stand of clothes, watching as the guards ran, spears outstretched, towards the stall he had just cleaned of any valuable while the shop keeper had been flirting with some girls._

"_What happened?"_

"_That thief, that Kuru Eruna Ghost! He was here, he was! I swear it! I saw him!" The shop keeper exclaimed._

"_What were you doing?" one guard asked, as the other looked about._

"_Watching my wares closely. He distracted me." The shopkeeper explained._

_Bakura snorted._

"_Liar. You were flirting with those wrenches." He hissed under his breath, slipping away._

"_Hey! Look there!" One of the guards shouted, pointing to Bakura._

_Curses, he was seen._

_He ran, looking for a good spot to hide. _

_He was foolish to come out in the middle of the day._

_There, a small bale of clothes in a little cubby. He could stay there until the guards passed him by._

_He rounded a corner and slipped inside, and watched as the guards ran on. Because he turned the corner before he hid, they didn't see._

"_Who are you?"_

_Bakura froze, then turned to look at the small child who shared his hiding spot._

_An innocent child._

_Who now must die._

"_Who are you?" the kid asked the youth before him again, then backed away in fear as Bakura turned on him with a knife._

"_I can't leave witnesses." He hissed, and slashed the boy's throat._

- - - - - - - -

Ryou shot up in bed, screaming.

A kid.........an innocent child.

Murdered.

Ryou breathed heavily.

/Yami?/ He called. Surely Bakura had heard his screams.

There was no answer.

/Oh, please yami, don't do this again!/ Ryou cried.

Emptiness.

Bakura was gone.

Out of the house.

And he had blocked off his mind-link.

And he was in a murdering rage.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Bakura slipped along in the shadows, eyes kindling in a fiery red blaze that glowed eerily in the darkness.

He was lost in his own mind, the memories clouding his thoughts in a red haze.

He was reliving his past.

He sensed something.

Something familiar.

White hair.........gentle brown eyes.........

A glowing Millennium Ring?

Ryou.

Bakura didn't see him as Ryou, though.

He saw a palace guard coming after him.

The glowing Ring transformed into a torch.

He hissed, baring his teeth, unsheathing one of the daggers he held.

"Bakura!" the guard shouted.

He only got a low growl for an answer.

Bakura moved forwards to attack.

- - - - - - -

Ryou had found Bakura, but not his yami.

His yami was locked away in his own mind.

Eyes glowing crazily, daggers in hand, Bakura turned to face Ryou.

Ryou stared, before calling out.

"Bakura!"

His only response was a growl from his yami.

Then Bakura charged him.

Ryou backed away in horror and terror.

"Bakura!"

Flashing eyes.

"'Kura!"

Glinting dagger.

"Yami!"

Pause.

"Yami? Yami, please don't hurt me. It's Ryou. It's your hikari. You're light. Please, Bakura, yami, don't do anything to me. Come home." Ryou pleaded.

Bakura's eyes narrowed.

He approached Ryou, dagger jabbing in the air.

Ryou squeezed his eyes shut, whispering his yami's name.

Bakura came at him.

- - - - - - - - - -

Short chapter, but I'm short on time right now. Thanks to all who reviewed!


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

Review responses at the end of the chapter.

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

(.........) Yami thinking

/........./ Hikari thinking

'.........' Normal thought

"........." Normal speech

(A/N:.........) Author's Note

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Bakura, please. Don't hurt me, Bakura." Ryou pleaded, backing away.

The yami growled low in his throat, the knife making lazy patterns in the air.

"Yami? Yami, listen to me. Yami!" Ryou cried, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Would his yami really kill him?

It seemed so, as Bakura approached.

Ryou turned and ran.

- - - - - - - - - - -

In Bakura's twisted dream/reality, the guard fled. He ran away.

Bakura decided to give chase.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Ryou glanced behind and saw Bakura coming up easily.

"Bakura!" He cried, running faster.

- - - - - - - - -

The guard shouted words, but they didn't make sense to the thief.

Bakura?

Who was Bakura?

Wait..........He was Bakura.........and that boy ahead was Ryou.

Not a guard.

Ryou.

"RYOU!" Bakura skidded to a stop, howling the name out in total anguish, collapsing to his knees and clutching his head.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ryou stopped and turned around, hearing Bakura call his name.

He ran back, wrapping his arms around Bakura, forgetting about the knife.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry........." Bakura repeated, the mantra coming out a low and soft chant.

Ryou ran his hands through his yami's hair.

"It's okay, it's alright, yami." Ryou whispered.

- - - - - - - - - -

"_Be quiet, you fool!" Bakura hissed at his companions._

_They were slipping through a dark tomb._

_A newly made tomb for a rich priest._

_Bakura had wanted to go alone, but the "Thieves' Lair", as the place Bakura and Mariku set up was now called by everyone, considered him too untrustworthy to go alone. Which angered him. HE and Mariku had set up the place, but now they didn't trust him?_

_They were afraid he'd keep it all for himself._

_Which he would have, too._

_As it was, Bakura was only sixteen, but already a far better thief than any one else. His sense of revenge and his hate making him older than his years, and far more cunning._

"_Shut up." The other man snarled back. It was bad enough he had to follow the lead of a younger man, who had more skills than he did, and was far more dangerous, but to have him constantly insulting him was grinding his nerves._

_Bakura glared at the man, then turned around and examined the wall ahead. They had gotten the treasure, and now were trying to find their way out._

"_It's a dead end, idiot. Come on, let's go try that other passage." The second man said, flinching at Bakura's glare._

"_The other passage is a trap." The albino Egyptian said absently, counting the bricks in the wall._

"_And how do you know that?" The first man asked, sneering._

"_It is a dead end, for the air is stale there. There is a fresh breeze here, so this leads somewhere. The other passage is too obvious. Call it a hunch." Bakura explained._

"_A 'hunch'?" One man asked, staring at Bakura. _

"_For some little feeling you are leading us around this labyrinth??" The other snarled._

"_Come on, let's go. This little white-haired freak can rot and die as he plays in the dirt." The first sneered, turning and walking away. His partner followed him, lugging his treasure sacks._

"_Your funeral." Bakura said lightly, examining a small crack in the stone floor._

_Ah, there it was._

_This whole tomb was a giant booby trap with smaller traps inside._

_Bakura had just found the trigger to the big trap._

_The empty corridor above must be a support system for this trap. _

_Stepping on a stone, touching a wall, something like that would trigger it._

_The family of this dead priest wanted NO ONE to get through. Sure, they could get to the treasure (Which wasn't all with the priest's body, most had been in separate chambers) but they could never get out without figuring out the trap._

_Which most thieves wouldn't be able too._

_The tunnel the three thieves had entered was the small entrance so that the family could lay offerings for the priest's Ka._

_But if a thief was to try and rob the priest, there had to be some way to stop them and still let the family be able to give up offerings. _

_This priest was rumored to be a great architect. He had, so the gossip says, designed his own tomb._

_There had been a massive piece of stone at the beginning of the corridor, made to roll in from one side, crushing any intruder who didn't know how to unarm the trap._

_If he did it at the beginning of the corridor, who says he wouldn't try again?_

_Bakura carefully examined every inch, without touching anything that could set off a possible, (and likely) trap._

_In order for people to go in and out, there had to be a way to set and unlock the trap._

_So the trap had to work on a simple fulcrum method, the stone delicately posed so that the slightest pressure on the trigger would cause it to move._

_So, in order to get out, Bakura needed to find the trigger._

_He examined the walls._

_Large slabs of stone, with no chinks or depressions, and they were covered in hieroglyphics._

_The ceiling was old stone lintel, same as the walls._

_The floor was tiled stone._

_Small pieces._

_That was a glimmer of hope._

_But no piece looked different from the rest........._

_Bakura crouched down, examining the floor._

_Hope slipped away, and Bakura rested back on his heels, dejected. He had his sack of treasure (all the best of the lot, he was sure to get in the room first), in one hand, and the torch in another. _

_He laid the sack down._

_Wait........._

_There, by that wall........._

_A stone that was tapered slightly, instead of the usual octagonal shape........._

_Bakura reached out and carefully brushed the dirt and dust off._

_Yes, it was different._

_Not by much, but it was different._

_Bakura reached out and tried to lift it._

_It was wedged._

_Bakura had a hunch._

_This was the key, the unlocking mechanism._

_It wasn't a trigger._

_Not to be proven wrong on this hunch, Bakura drew a knife._

_Bakura inserted it into a crack around the odd stone, and pried it up._

_There was a cavity underneath........._

_Remarkable. This workmanship deserved credit._

_There was a small wooden handle. _

_Bakura grabbed it and lifted._

_A groaning echoed throughout the tomb, like some great beast that didn't appreciate being awoken._

_A large section of the wall nearby shifted, then settled._

_The groaning stopped._

_So that whole wall was the trap? If you touched the trigger (which Bakura had yet to find), the wall would collapse, sealing the corridor._

_But Bakura had discovered the key._

_Where was the trigger?_

_He glanced about, and then heard a piercing scream down the corridor._

_Shrugging, Bakura decided to see what was so interesting. He carefully hefted his treasure sack, and walked cautiously down the passage._

_He turned down the other corridor, the one that was a trap, and carefully proceeded._

_Most of the traps were either disarmed or triggered, thanks to the other two thieves._

_They had survived all of the traps so far._

_Until they got to this one._

_Evidently it was the same kind of trap Bakura had just disarmed._

_One of the thieves was trapped below a large slab of stone, and his partner was trying to free him._

_Bakura arched an eyebrow in amusement. _

_This corridor was exactly the same as the other, with the same trap at the end._

_They just didn't find the key._

_The only difference between the two corridors was that this one was a dead end._

_And the other was the exit._

"_Told you so." Bakura said evenly, watching with slight interest as the one man tried to free his partner, reaching under the slab and trying to lift it._

_Their treasure sacks lay forgotten on the ground._

_The man below the stone slab was slowly being crushed, he was finding it hard to breathe._

**(A/N: Okay, a bit of descriptive death here!)**

_He was on his back, arms and legs spread out, his head turned to the side._

_His jaw was being pushed out of place by the monstrous weight. He could hardly open his mouth, and his tongue hung limp._

_His eyes bulged, staring at his friend and at Bakura for help, pleading for help._

_His breath came in wet gasps, as his chest was decompressed and his ribs cracked._

_Blood slowly seeped from him, spreading out on the tomb floor._

"_Help me!" The man's companion cried to Bakura, trying to lift the stone._

_Bakura snorted in amusement, stepping forwards._

_The two older men looked at him thankfully._

_Bakura drew his knife again, and their eyes widened suddenly. _

_The man who was free tried to defend himself, but Bakura was quicker._

_Dodging the man's blow, Bakura sank the knife between two vertebra in the back of the man's neck, severing his spine._

_He dropped limply to the floor, still aware of what was going on even as his life dwindled out with his life's blood._

_Bakura looked at the trapped man, and decided it wasn't worth the effort._

_He picked up his treasure sack, and those of the other two thieves, and left._

_The trapped man screamed as he was left in the dark, his partner's dead body lying nearby._

- - - - - - -- - - - - -

(End this short Chapter.)

You like? I hope so! I liked writing this memory, it was fun!

Anyways, read and review please!


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

Review responses at the end of the chapter.

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

(………) Yami thinking

/………/ Hikari thinking

'………' Normal thought

"………" Normal speech

(A/N:………) Author's Note

Chapter Fifteen

Ryou woke up, panting heavily.

How horrible! How just completely awful! To leave that man squashed under that stone, getting killed so slowly………ugh! Ryou shuddered.

He stood up, and walked carefully over to the master bedroom where Bakura had started sleeping.

His yami was tossing and turning on the bed, muttering in Ancient Egyptian.

Ryou, carefully so that he didn't wake up the yami, slid into bed next to him.

For some reason, being near Yami Bakura was immensely comforting to Ryou. He cuddled up to his yami, soothingly stroking the spirit's hair.

Bakura calmed down, falling into a more peaceful sleep.

Ryou closed his eyes and went to sleep.

-- - - - - - - - - -

And the dream started up right where it left off.

_Bakura examined the door. He had found the key, but he still had to make sure he found the trigger._

_He didn't want to accidently set it off, key or not._

_He lightly pushed on the walls, and then the door._

_He paused._

_On either side of the door, like hinges, were tiny dents in the stone, with a small piece of metal hitched._

_The door was hinged on both sides, lined up with the door's middle._

_After examining the hinges, he discovered that the door didn't push open like a normal door._

_It pushed up._

_So, if you tried to open the door normally, you set off the trap._

_But if you found the other way to open it, you got away._

_So how to open it?_

_Bakura puzzled over it, staring at the hinges and thinking of different possibilities._

_No, the priest wouldn't have………_

_Bakura, on the sudden thought, crouched down and touched the bottom of the door._

_If this hunch was wrong, he was dead._

_Bakura pushed the bottom of the door._

_And it opened._

_So, it opened horizontally. You push the bottom, which swings it so that it lay flat, held up by the two hinges. _

_A sideways door, who wouldn've thought?_

- - - - - - - - - - - - _  
_(The next night.)

Yami Bakura walked through the pouring rain, ignoring the people who ran around trying to get to shelter.

He just walked, head down, hair straggling down and dripping.

He had nowhere to go at the moment.

He and Ryou had gotten into another fight, and this time Bakura wasn't so sure they would make up and forgive each other.

It had started out over something so stupid, so petty, that it made Bakura wince when he thought about it. Then it had progressed farther and farther, and soon they were shouting insults through the air at each other, verbal daggers, that pierced the heart.

Bakura had stormed out, had killed a couple of cats to relieve his temper, and had beaten up a gang that had blocked his path and tired to mug him.

And he was still angry.

He kicked a street lamp as he passed, and ignored the pain in his foot. He had a mortal body now, but it didn't age and he still retained all his Shadow Powers. So he could ignore pain or hunger or weariness.

He lifted his head and blinked up at the rain pouring from the heavens.

"I hate rain." He muttered.

He walked along some more, not caring that his dark clothes were soaked.

He had no care if he got sick. He'd just retreat to the Ring and then remake his physical form.

He mused over the fight again.

It had started because Ryou had once again allowed himself to be bullied, and had consequently been relieved of all his money for that day and the event would happen again the next day, and the next, until Ryou decided to stand up for himself or Bakura decided to take matters into his own hands.

But Ryou never understood that he should grow a backbone and fight back.

He didn't want the problems that would arise, but he needed to do it.

So Bakura had snapped at him again, degrading him for a weak coward.

Ryou had withstood the verbal abuse until his patience reached its end, and he began yelling back.

"_Stupid, weak hikari!"_

"_Vicious, ice-hearted thief!"_

"_Powerless!"_

"_Full of greed and revenge!"_

Things had started progressing farther and farther along, with Bakura getting closer to killing someone/thing and Ryou getting ready to stick the Ring down the garbage processor.

"_Might as well have a the Pharaoh's brat instead of you!"_

"_At least Yami wouldn't press HIS hikari into a fight!"_

"_It's for your own good!"_

"_No it's not!"_

"_You're just a coward!"_

"_Better to be living and a coward then being brave but dead!" _

"_They wouldn't dare do a thing!"_

"_They would!" _

"_I'd kill them first!"_

"_Then how would I ever learn? You are always protecting me, I never can do a thing for myself! And you say I'm a coward!" _

"_You are!" _

"_You're a thief, that is just as bad as a coward." _

"_Weak fool."_

"_Murdering thief!"_

"_What?" _

"_Murderer!"_

"_Stop, Ryou!"_

"_You are! You murderer and a killer! Killer!" _

Ryou had begun to get really heated up, and was throwing caution to the winds, taunting and screaming right back at Bakura, who was a bit shocked at his hikari's sudden fierceness.

Bakura had been flaming red-eyed by then, and had been finger lengths short of lashing out at Ryou.

So he had walked out.

Now he was in the rain.

And cold.

But he could ignore the cold like he ignored everything else.

He snarled, drawing his arms unconsciously around him to fend away the cold.

A car pulled up to the sidewalk.

"Bakura?"

Bakura turned a glare on the person calling his name.

And stumbled as he saw Isis watching him out of her car window.

The car doors unlocked.

"Get in." She called.

Bakura sighed, sensing that tone of voice that meant he had better do what she says.

- - - - - - - - - -

Bakura lay on the couch in Isis's house, staring at the ceiling. She had dragged him to her house, saying she 'Saw' him getting in big trouble as he wandered in the rain, and she had to prevent that.

Yeah, right.

Whatever.

The doorbell rang, and Bakura heard Rishid go answer it.

A few minutes later, footsteps sounded on the stairs and the face of his one and only friend appeared.

"Hey, Malik." Bakura whispered.

Malik smiled, and he was happily licking a lolli-pop

"Well, Malik, are you done moping around in self-pity?" Malik asked, pulling the sucker out of his mouth with a loud pop.

"What? I am not moping." Bakura protested, glaring at the Egyptian.

Malik grinned. "Maybe not all the time. Come on, Isis said he'll seal me into the Shadow Realm for a week if I don't get you out of the house."

"What? Isis……ISIS! I DON'T WANT TO GO!" Bakura howled, turning to look at her as she followed her brother in.

"Too bad. You need to go out. Malik will take you out and he had promised NOTHING DANGEROUS." She sent a warning glare at her brother, and he just popped his sucker out again.

Bakura sulked. "Fine. If it will get you off my back." He muttered, and Malik grinned as he walked towards the door, a dejected Bakura behind him.

- - - - - - - - - -

End Chapter.

Thanks to all reviewers and sorry for the long wait! Thanks to my writer's block, tough schedule with school work, and 's own problems, I will probably be awhile again next time.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Review responses at the end of the chapter.

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

(………) Yami thinking

/………/ Hikari thinking

'………' Normal thought

"………" Normal speech

(A/N:………) Author's Note

Chapter Sixteen

Bakura lounged on Malik's yacht, which was tied to the dock. It was a nice day, with the snow melting and the sun out and warming the air.

Malik was in the cabin, digging in the ice chest for a coke.

Bakura sighed, and stood up. He walked to the rail and leaned against it, staring at the moving water.

The waves moving, and the sun glinting off them………

- - - - - - - - - - -

_Beautiful water………so blue and calm in the midst of this chaos. _

_Bakura hurried and ran into the water, ignoring the cold, delighting in it actually, as the guards behind him ran after him._

_Hopefully they will be afraid to follow him._

_Or he could get underwater and in the reeds before they shot arrows at him._

_But they weren't coming after him._

_Not one to complain about this turn of luck, Bakura glanced over his should to make sure they weren't coming, and saw them quite relaxed, grinning knowingly._

_The water was up to his chest when he realized why the guards didn't follow him in._

_The telltale ridgeline of a crocodile's tail was enough to tell him the foolishness of his escape attempt._

_Two more crocodiles came swimming in, giving long, slow, powerful thrusts with their muscled tails, yellow eyes watching him eagerly as their long snouts snapped at his flailing limbs._

_Bakura quickly backpedaled, trying to reach shore before the crocs got to him. He kicked off the sandy bottom, but the water made his movements sluggish._

_The first croc got so close that its tail buffeted Bakura_

_Panicking, Bakura snatched a dagger and stabbed at the reptile, to no affect against its armored hide._

_The croc's eyes seemed to laugh at him as it drifted closer, toothed maw opening._

_Seeing a sudden idea, Bakura latched onto the crocodile, and it began rolling and thrashing trying to dislodge him._

_The other crocs couldn't get at him since he was on the first crocodile, so as the beast rolled, Bakura was able to get closer to the shore. _

_He threw himself onto the sand._

- - - - - - - - - -

Malik came out of the cabin and saw Bakura leaning on the rail.

He was tense, his eyes glazed over, staring at the water.

"Bakura?" Malik asked.

He came closer.

- - - - - - - - - -

_Bakura felt the guards grab a hold of him and yank him upright as he spat water._

"_A good trick, but you are caught none the less." One guard chortled._

_Bakura's eyes misted over with a red haze of rage._

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Malik grabbed Bakura's shoulder, shaking him as he shouted his friend's name.

The right hook came quicker than Malik could respond too.

He lay on the ground, clutching his bleeding mouth, staring wide-eyed at his friend.

Bakura was breathing heavily, eyes still glazed but now reflecting utter rage and despair.

He turned and ran, leaping from the side of the yacht to the dock's extended arm.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ryou felt bad about yelling at Bakura the night before. Why had he started the argument? Why couldn't he let it go?

With a sigh, Ryou walked to Malik's house, figuring to apologize.

He knocked on the door, and was surprised when Isis opened it.

"Uh………hi." Ryou said, and nodded to Rishid, who stood behind Isis.

"Is Bakura here?" Ryou asked, but from Rishid's scowl to Isis's apologetic look, Ryou knew he had better look elsewhere.

"Bakura ran off."

Ryou turned and saw Malik walking over from inside their living room, one lip cut and swollen.

"What happened?" Ryou gasped. His yami wouldn't have………

"Bakura hit me." Malik affirmed. At seeing Ryou's horrified look, he came to his friend's defense. "It wasn't his fault though. He was having one of those dream memory things, and I shook him and I guess I startled him."

"Oh. Do you know where he might be?" Ryou asked softly, feeling ashamed for his yami's actions.

"No, but I think we must find him soon."

- - - - - - - - - -

Bakura ran through the streets, shoving his way past people who wouldn't move.

He had hit Malik.

His truest friend.

Bakura felt another memory crowding into his mind, and he tried to shake it away.

But it came nonetheless.

- - - - - - - - - -

_Crowded._

_That's the only way to explain the prison._

_It was very crowded, with bandits, thieves, poor common folk who couldn't pay off a debt, corrupt guards, and all sorts of riffraff._

_Bakura was given special attention. He was chained to the wall by wrists, ankles, and around his neck, and they guards gave him a beating every day._

_The other prisoners, even in the crowded cells, avoided Bakura for his reputation was well known._

_But he had a secret the others didn't._

_He knew how to get out._

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Bakura growled low in his throat, collapsing against a dirty wall in some back alley of the slummy part of the city.

The building belonged to a gang.

Lost in the grips of his memory, Bakura didn't know that the gang was even now watching him.

- - - - - - - - - - -

_He was moved to a new cell, one made for only one person._

_Now he could get away._

_In the dead of night he slipped his right wrist from the manacle, twisting it nearly all the way around._

_He then picked the other locks and escaped through the garbage chute._

_He was home free._

-- - - - - - - - - - -

He was caught.

The gang surrounded him.

But he was angry.

Very angry.

And no several mortals will stand before him when he wanted to go home.

To Ryou.

Bakura's lips curled back, revealing his sharp fangs and giving the gangsters a pause.

He tensed up, preparing for a lunge, magic crackling the air about him like static.

The gangsters felt their hair stand on end when Bakura issued a primal growl, snarling through his clenched, bared teeth.

Eyes narrowed to red glowing slits, Bakura sensed fear.

And basked in it.

They will die.

(End Chapter)

**A Very Happy Person:** In response to your review, I feel I must explain myself. The last chapter may have seemed out of character, but as you see now it is kind of important. It shows that Ryou is getting a bit worried and nervous around Bakura, afraid of what he could do. And Bakura, while trying to do some normal fun with Malik, ends up attacking him. Am I forgiven? If not, I'm sorry you don't approve of the chapter, but it made sense to me and to other reviewers. I hope this clears it up.

**IMPORTANT: I will be going to El Paso for Christmas, and won't be able to update my stories for even longer than usual, sorry folks. **


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Review responses at the end of the chapter.

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

(………) Yami thinking

/………/ Hikari thinking

'………' Normal thought

"………" Normal speech

(A/N:………) Author's Note

Chapter Seventeen

Bakura's eyes were flaming a fierce blood red, and the blustering kids of the gang were getting slightly unnerved. But they weren't going to show their fear to their friends, so they attacked.

Bakura hissed, the sound erupting into a snarl that was soon drowned out by the fierce roar of the Shadow Magic roiling together into visible form.

It looked like shadows come alive, shot through with angry purple and red.

What seemed to be miniature lightning bolts shot out, one on each side of Bakura, the electricity making his hair dance in even larger spikes than normally.

Completely in thrall to the Shadow Magic that was his gift and curse, he didn't notice as the boys stopped and run back into the building to try and get away to shelter.

All he knew was that they MUST be destroyed.

Features locked into that frozen snarl, he turned and followed them with his eyes.

Those eyes………no longer brown but were red.

Now the red was as black as the Shadow Realm itself.

Bakura clenched his fists, and another round of miniature lighting bolts blasted out the dusty windows of the building, allowing the Shadows entrance inside.

Screams rang out, but were drowned by the howl of the Shadows.

Bakura raised his arms out to his sides, and then up above his head, as if he was praising something above.

The Shadows whirled more franticly, eager for the souls it would devour.

Bakura shot his arms forwards, in a throwing motion.

The Shadows shot forwards in response, entering the house and exiting at the same time through the windows, until it had surrounded the old house entirely.

Bakura, too far absorbed in the Shadow's power, didn't even think of what was going on.

All he wanted was the feel of the power the Shadow's brought him.

The Shadows constricted, tightening around the house and then swirling faster and faster.

Bakura threw back his head and howled, and the Shadows stopped.

Swirling softly, it awaited his command.

Bakura slowly turned and regarded the building fully.

He grinned, then, the action turning into another feral snarl.

He let out an intelligible growl, but the Shadows responded.

Kill.

And it killed.

Swirling eagerly, it attacked all the terrified mortals in the building, stealing their souls and sending them swirling into the abyss of the Shadow Realm.

Bakura hissed in pleasure as he felt the souls travel through him and into the Shadow Realm that he was commanding.

Once the mortals were taken care of, the Shadows once again responded to Bakura and began swirling faster and faster and faster until they were a sheer tornado of black and purple and red, spiraling down towards the house's base.

Then they stopped, all gathered at the base of the house and in the house and around the house.

Bakura, still snarling in anger but with a hint of a smile showing, gave the final command.

Destroy.

The night was lit up when the building blew.

Brick and stone, window glass turned to slag, wood and metal, all caught fire at once and burned so fierce that the building became a pillar of flame.

Shingles on the roof, the brass doorknobs even, all burned.

Then it exploded, collapsing on itself and sending sparks and flames to touch the skies.

Bakura bowed his head as the intense heat washed over him, shielding his face from the sparks and flames and flying debris.

He saw a rather large chunk of molten substance, (it could have been bricks, but he couldn't be sure) was flying towards him.

And he couldn't avoid it.

But the Shadows didn't want to hurt its master, who fed it so many nice souls, so it coiled around Bakura, caressing him lightly but blocking all the flames and flying debris that could've hurt him.

Bakura, still senseless to his surroundings and only seeing the Shadows now, gave in and threw all of his energy into the magic, and the fire burned higher.

And exploded one final time, flinging everything within a certain distance flying.

Bakura included.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Ryou and Malik were looking for Bakura.

Malik understood it wasn't Bakura's fault, and Ryou did too.

So they had to find Bakura before he did something to hurt himself.

Or went totally crazy.

- - - - - - - - -

Yami and Yugi were at home, with Joey, Tristan, and Duke spending the night and basically hanging out. They had the TV turned on for some background sound, and played games through the night.

"We interrupt you current broadcast to bring you some headline news.

"A fire has started in the back part of Domino City, and the flames have been seen from miles around. It is unknown what has caused this blaze, but in seconds it has turned into an inferno."

Yami and the others glanced over, slightly curious.

The TV had a live picture of the building, and it was burning furiously.

Actually, its REMAINS were burning furiously. The main part of the building was blown away, and the rest was melted into an indescribable lump that burned still.

"As far as we can tell it was a gas leak, so the experts guess. There have been no reports of deaths, but the other folk of the area say that the place was home to a large number of youths who hung out there, so………"

Yami and the others lost interest. A piece of curiosity, but nothing more.

"Do you think it was really a gas leak that caused that?" Joey asked.

"I don't know." Duke said. "Do you have any threes?" He asked Yugi.

"Go fish."

"Ah, drat." Duke cursed, and sighed as he drew a card.

There was a knock on the front door, and Tristan, being the only one not playing Go Fish, went to go answer it.

"Hey, Ryou, Malik. What's the matter?" He asked, seeing the distraught faces of the two.

"Tristan, where's Yami?" Ryou asked.

"Inside, come on." Tristan led them aware.

There was a chorus of greetings from the people playing the game.

"Go Fish Joey."

"Ah, blast."

"Hey Ryou, what's the matter?" Yami asked, turning away from the game.

"Yami, can you help us find Bakura?" Ryou asked, breathing heavily and looking very worried.

"Is he missing?" Yami asked, not really paying attention since the mention of Bakura.

"Yes, he hit Malik, and ran off!" Ryou cried out, seeing that Yami had dismissed his question as unimportant.

"He hit Malik?" Joey asked, looking up from his rather large amount of cards.

"Yes, but I understand why." Malik answered, feeling the right to defend his friend.

They were still friends, weren't they?

Yami nodded absently.

"Joey, give me your fives." Yami said, and Joey cursed again as he passed over two fives. Yami laid them down with the rest of the half a deck he had laid out before him in threes.

Duke glanced about, waiting for his turn, and noticed the news playing another live recording of the fire.

"Could Bakura have caused that, if he was as angry as you thought he was?" Duke asked, pointing towards the screen.

Everyone stared wide-eyed.

"It could."

"Shadow Magic could do that." Yami admitted.

"So where is Bakura now?" Ryou asked, heart broken.

His yami had destroyed the building? Possible, very possible. It WAS the direction he had run after the yacht incident, so Malik had said.

So where was Bakura, and was he still in a destructive mood?

- - - - - - - - - -

End Chapter.

Thanks to you all who wished me a good time in El Paso, I really enjoyed it! I hope you all enjoyed Christmas as well!

Thanks to all who reviewed!

**Dreamingsilver: **Why, you're the first person to guess it! You're correct in part, but not whole. You'll have to wait and see, but great job on correctly guessing part of it!

**Telly: **You are right, the law is in force. ::Grins:: they just have to figure out who did it and also they will have to realize that it was a person who did it. Thanks for your review!


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

Review responses at the end of the chapter.

1/26/04

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

(………) Yami thinking

/………/ Hikari thinking

'………' Normal thought

"………" Normal speech

(A/N:………) Author's Note

Chapter Eighteen

Everyone had offered to help look for Bakura, to provide the necessary help in searching, with Yami, Yugi, and Ryou ready to use Shadow magic if needed.

Hopefully they wouldn't have too.

Bakura was either running large in the city or back at home.

Ryou couldn't contact him through the link, though, so he was probably still mad. Which meant he was still running amok in the city.

Hopefully they could reason with him before he did anything that would prove disastrous.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Something was wrong._

_His Ring of Wisdom was not operating at its fullest._

_Something was blocking him, trying to restrain him._

_The Pharaoh and his priests, probably. Well, Bakura will deal with them all eventually. He will kill them like he killed the past Ring bearer._

_Ah, what a pleasure that was. The fool was locked in the tomb with Bakura, and he had foolishly tried to fight him._

_He had lost his life._

_He had lost his Ring._

_And now Bakura was more powerful than ever, finally able to use the Shadow Magic against that despicable Pharaoh._

_He could finally end his madness and take revenge for the lost souls of Kuru Eruna._

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"There! Bakura's over there by that warehouse!" Ryou shouted, pointing towards one of the old storage buildings. He was using his Ring, locking onto his yami. While he wasn't as skilled as Bakura at doing this, he could locate something if the need was desperate enough.

This seemed to be one of those moments.

Without hesitation, Ryou ran inside.

The others followed him.

- - - - - - - - - - - --

_The Pharaoh and his priests were getting closer._

_He felt them._

_He had taunted them, making sure they could follow him to this deserted ruin that was the Kuru Eruna temple. _

_Or had been._

_He will kill them here._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ryou paused at the door.

Bakura was standing in full view, staring at nothing, eyes blazing with the blackness of the Shadow Realm, but glazed over as if he was sleeping.

Hands twitching with every beat of his heart, his breathing was harsh and shallow, sweat shone on his skin and he turned his unfathomable eyes onto the group that had intruded onto him.

- - - - - - - - -

_They will finally die._

_They will pay for Bakura's lost life. _

_For Mariku, his only true friend._

_For his family, friends, and his own morals and views._

_And he will finally be at peace._

- - - - - - - - -

They were trying to talk to him.

He didn't hear a word.

He snarled wordlessly, locked in the memory of his ending.

His final battle.

- - - - -- - - - - - - -

_They used their powers against him._

_Combined, the six Millennium Items overthrew his single one._

_He screamed in final fury as he found himself thrust back, crashing against the wall._

- - - - - - - - -

Yami and Bakura threw Shadow Magic at each other, and Yami was surprised to find himself hard pressed. Though the Puzzle was stronger than the Ring, Bakura's anger fueled his power.

Bakura threw all his energy into one last attack.

- - - - - - - - -

"You need to go."

Malik and Marik looked up from their Duel.

"What?" Malik asked, staring at his sister.

"You need to go. Bakura needs you." Isis repeated.

She hustled them out, telling them they will know where to go.

And so they went.

- - - - - -

Bakura had forced all of them to the ground.

Yami, Tristan, and Duke were thrown against the wall, and Yugi, Ryou, and Joey were tossed easily to the floor by the sheer power of the last strike.

"What's the matter with him?" Ryou cried, trying to access the mind-link but unable to get through the pulsing Shadows that were there.

"I don't know what's happening!" Yami shouted back, his Puzzle trying and failing to block Bakura's attacks.

"BAKURA!" Ryou shouted, struggling to his feet.

Bakura's attacks slowed slightly, swirling easily and waiting for the command to go again.

He was listening.

"Bakura, please, don't do this! We understand your past now, we can help you with it!" Ryou pleaded, moving slowly towards his other half.

Bakura blinked his black, cold eyes and stared at Ryou.

"It's Ryou, you're hikari. You're light. Feel me through the link. Through the Ring. Through your soul. We're bonded, remember? You can't kill me." Ryou said, moving until he was only three feet away from his crazed yami.

Bakura was still lost in memories, but Ryou did get through.

- - - - - - - - - - -

_The guards were after him._

_He couldn't get away._

_The Pharaoh and his priests were coming._

_What could Bakura do?_

"_BAKURA!" _

_Ryou? It was his light!_

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Ryou, get away from him!" Yami shouted, running towards Ryou.

Bakura's eyes narrowed.

NO! Not RYOU!"

Bakura snarled, grabbing Ryou and causing the smaller boy to yelp in shock and fear.

Bakura pulled his light, his beloved light, behind him, shielding him with his body and all of his power.

Ryou, meanwhile, was in a state of shock.

Bakura had recognized him, but had failed to recognize anyone else.

Now what were they going to do? Ryou wasn't strong enough to evade Bakura, and he was sure his yami would do all in his power to protect Ryou and keep him away from his friends, even if he had to seal Ryou into the Ring to do it. He's done it before.

How were they going to help Bakura?

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Malik and Marik raced towards the warehouse, following Isis's directions.

In Marik's pocket was the silver scarab he had stolen from Yugi's grandfather.

- -- - - - - - - - - - -

(End Chapter)

Sorry for the short chapter! But better some than none! Thanks to all reviewers! This story is getting close to the end!


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

Review responses at the end of the chapter.

3-16-05

Normal Writing: Common Time

_Italic Writing: _Dream/memory.

(………) Yami thinking

/………/ Hikari thinking

'………' Normal thought

"………" Normal speech

(A/N:………) Author's Note

Chapter Nineteen

Malik and Marik burst into the warehouse and were shocked.

Bakura stood before Ryou, blocking him away from Yami and the others.

The air fairly crackled with Shadow magic, and most of it was pinning Yami and the rest to the walls of the warehouse, swirling out of Bakura and around the building.

Bakura turned to glare absently at the intruders, then his eyes widened and his jaw dropped at the sight of his two friends.

Or, rather, the sight of Marik.

(back to memories)

_Mariku?_

_But………Mariku was dead. He was DEAD! The Pharaoh and his puppets killed him!_

_But there he was, as alive as ever, running towards Bakura._

(Real world now)

Yami was in conflict over the arrival of the two sandy haired Egyptians. On one hand, they could help, but on the other hand, they might join in for the fun of it.

But right now they looked surprised at what was going on and even more surprised when Bakura's swirling magic slowed as he stared at them.

"Mariku?" He whispered, eyes wide, though still glazed and reflecting the Shadows from around and within him.

"He recognizes you!" Malik whispered, shoving his startled yami forwards.

But as Marik approached his friend, Bakura cried out and backed away.

The Shadows around him swirled faster, turning upon Marik.

And, as Marik used the Rod's powers to protect himself, he heard Bakura shout out in what seemed to be anguish.

"Shadows, heed me: _Destroy that which causes me this pain_!" He howled, dropping to his knees and grabbing his head, tugging on his wild hair. Ryou fell beside him, trying to comfort and help.

And the Shadows turned to the person who was causing this.

Or, rather, the OBJECT that was causing this.

The Shadows attacked the silver scarab in Marik's pocket, causing it to heat unbearably and Marik hastily tore it out and threw it, nursing his burned fingers as the Shadows consumed the shining jewel.

Everyone watched in shock as the Shadows devoured the brightly glowing object, causing the room to darken once more when it was gone.

Ryou was cradling Bakura's limp form on the floor, staring with the rest at the sudden departure of the jewel and the slow disappearance of the Shadows.

"Ryou?"

The hoarse whisper caused Ryou to glance into the wearied eyes of his yami.

"The memories…they're gone." His voice echoed with surprise.

"The jewel…it must have caused this." Ryou said with wonder, staring at the spot where the Scarab had been.

"So, that thing caused Bakura to remember his memories?" Joey asked incredulously. It didn't seem right.

"That doesn't make sense. Why Bakura?" Yugi piped up.

Yami frowned, and was going to say something, but Ryou shook his head and held up a hand.

"Let's discuss this at my house. I don't want to keep Bakura here." Ryou said, and he helped Bakura to his feet and they made their way out.

(At Ryou's house.)

"I still don't understand why it's Bakura that got the curse thingy." Joey complained.

"He was the first to touch it, naturally." Ryou reminded him. "He opened the little box it was held in, remember? Or were you not there?"

"I don't think I was there." Joey answered, before flopping down onto Ryou's couch. Everyone was ranged around the living room, with Bakura huddled away from them.

"Okay, so Bakura was the first to touch it, and it did what? Cause him to relive memories? Why would it be specified to do that?" Yami muttered.

"Maybe not memories." Yugi said.

"Hnh?"

"Maybe it is something else?" Yugi trailed off, quailing under the attention he had attracted to himself.

"Like what?"

"Er…."

"Fear," Bakura's whisper came out. "My worst fear is my memories, my past."

"There! Then it makes sense now!" Joey exclaimed, snapping his fingers.

"Yeah, it does." Yami said, watching as Ryou comforted Bakura.

"So, it's over now? The Bug is destroyed and you don't see your past again?" Yugi asked. Bakura nodded, but he was still troubled by what he had done and had almost done.

"Don't worry about it, Bakura. It'll get better, you'll see." Ryou said, trying to smile. He knew his yami was going through a difficult time, and he was trying to cope, so Ryou was going to put aside his feelings for what had happened and deal with Bakura's anxiety.

So Ryou threw his mind open. Mind and soul he flooded the link with comfort and love, soothing feelings and his own pride that Bakura had overcome his fears to do what was right.

Bakura blinked, confused as the emotions running amok around him.

"Hey, guys? Can we be alone for a little while?" Ryou asked, and the others nodded and left.

"Hope ya feel better, Bakura!" Joey called out as they left.

Marik and Malik hung about until the last of them had left.

"'Kura? Just wanted you to know that I don't blame you for what you did earlier." Malik said, smiling slightly as he rubbed a finger along his bruise from where Bakura had hit him.

Bakura nodded, not trusting his voice.

The two Egyptians left, leaving Bakura and Ryou alone.

"Gah, Ryou! I feel horrible!" Bakura mumbled, laying back on the couch and throwing an arm over his eyes.

"I can surely understand why," Ryou said lightly, smiling. "You've had a long, busy week."

Bakura frowned at him. "Long and busy? More than that! I've had to relive all my worst memories! That's more than just long and busy." He shook his head as Ryou giggled at him.

He was then hit by a couch pillow.

"Oh, lighten up. It's over, it's done with, and look for the bright side now!" The ever-optimistic boy said.

"What bright side?" Bakura muttered, throwing the pillow back at his light.

"Now everyone understands why you are the way you are. They understand, and hopefully can cope. I saw Yami was scared. Actually scared of you, back at the warehouse." Ryou smiled as he saw the smug smirk on his yami's face. "I also know for a fact that Joey is on much better terms with you."

Bakura snorted, but did feel a bit better knowing that he had frightened the usually smug pharaoh. Joey's friendship was a side, but still useful if he needed it. And now that he realized it, Bakura noted that he did indeed want friends.

Ryou was continuing.

"Malik forgives you, and I think Marik had a lot of fun, Yugi understands and even if Yami wants to be pigheaded, Yugi will make him see." Ryou said, smiling.

Bakura blinked in shock as he realized it was true, and it was really over now. He smiled at his light, a real, genuine smile. It was over, and he was over it, and life would go on, and he could go back to living like he usually did.

"Pity the jewel was destroyed though." He commented, just to see Ryou's reaction.

"Yami!" Ryou said, exasperated. "Come on, let's go out to eat for a change. I don't feel like cooking."

Bakura quickly got to his feet, eyeing the darkening sky outside. Darkness…night…perfect time for any hustler to try and rob someone.

Maybe someone will try to rob them on the way to the restaurant………that way Bakura could have some entertainment before a meal.

"Let's go to one of the sit-down restaurant." Ryou said, grabbing his wallet and heading to the door.

"Raw steak?" Bakura asked hopefully, trailing behind.

"Rare, probably. But yes." Ryou said, with a shudder.

"Good."

And life went on.

(End Story)

IT'S OVER! FINALLY!

Sorry people, but with school work, job-hunting, college stuff, and all that, I've been busy. This last chapter isn't quite to my liking, but I'm frustrated and ready for it to end, so, oh well.

Thanks to all who reviewed and followed this story!

Sirithiliel


End file.
